adding supers

[terri lynn]

I know if varies according to the flow, but when a flow is on, roughly how long does it take bees to fill a honey super? Whichever size, I'm just kinda wondering on a ballpark figure. About how often do you add supers to stay ahead? I know it's best when supers have about 7 of 10 frames full, I was just interested to get some idea of time frames.
Thanks!

[beedeetee]

It takes my hives about a week and a half to fill a medium super. Right now they are starting super 3. I live in a fir and alder forest with no neighbors to the north and east for many miles and only a few neighbors in the other directions. I don't know where they find their nectar, but they do.

In good honey areas they can probably fill one in a week. These are drawn comb through an excluder and no top entrance (that they are using).

So it will depend on how large your hives are, how good your flow is, if you have drawn comb or foundation and the weather.

[terri lynn]

Thanks beedeetee. That's similar to what I was guessing, but this is my first year to need honey supers, so I sure did want an idea. Most of my hives aren't at my home anymore, and I was wondering what a time period for driving out needed to be. And right now they have deeps on, which was all of the extra I had at the time, but I'm about to be adding mediums or shallows.

[beedeetee]

I always treated honey supers differently than brood chambers as far as adding boxes. With drawn comb, I just add as many as I think they will need or that I have at the same time.

I don't have SHB so that might change my mind.

[terri lynn]

I checked the hives today, and they've drawn comb in the newest honey supers, and have some honey, but not as much as I'd hoped, so I guess mine are behine yours. I did notice the mesquite was just starting to bloom in that area, so that's good. And I wasn't able to move them to that location until most of the spring blooms were gone. They did have tons of brood though. And there are lots of things in bloom even through January there (rosemary), so I guess it will just be a little more slowly. And next year I will have drawn foundation to start them quicker.

I haven't had to worry about SHB, either, knock on wood. I appreciate your thoughts...it helps to have a rough idea or estimate for something you haven't gone through.