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View Full Version : First season supering, advice?



Sassin
04-26-2012, 03:27 PM
I've been reading through some of the supering questions, there is mention of adding a second super under the first when the frames are mostly drawn. I'm assuming this means drawn comb but not filled or capped?
I have two hives being supered this season (both with 2 full deeps), one I added a super 3-4 weeks ago and now it is full, the other I added a super 2 weeks ago and all the frames are drawn but not filled. Should I be adding my second super to the drawn but empty one now, or wait until there is some honey?
As for the first I've realized I waited longer than optimal, just added the second super today and it was ridiculous. There is burcomb full of honey between the deep and the full super. I peeked in the deep to be sure there was honey along the top of the frames to trap the queen and there is, but when I lifted the full super up on top of the new one I discovered a couple of larva on the workbench.
Not good right? Queen has moved up into the super, maybe they have been too crowded in a quickness with the awesome flow right now? It's my first spring in Hawaii with bees and it seems like gangbusters for the last 6 weeks. Note to self- be better prepared next year and for the rest of this season...
Any suggestions for better management, besides a queen excluder?

NasalSponge
04-26-2012, 03:35 PM
It is not at all unusual to find brood in burr comb especially if you are using foundation, they will build drone comb there. I am a bit confused on your first question, are you saying they have completely drawn out a super of comb but it is empty?

Sassin
04-26-2012, 04:12 PM
Yes, 2 weeks on top and they've drawn comb on 8 of 10 frames and have started on the outer 2, but no obvious nectar and certainly no capped anything. This hive has been very productive, I've robbed the occasional deep frame of honey and brood to help support some swarms and cutouts the last couple of months. They have very quickly filled up the blanks I have given them in the deeps. Wondering if it makes sense to give them another super under the first now or wait until they start to store?

NasalSponge
04-26-2012, 04:15 PM
If it were me I would wait until they start putting up stores but I don't have a scientific reason for that, just my preference.

KQ6AR
04-26-2012, 05:18 PM
Don't add to much space with the hive beetle problems in Hawaii.

AmericasBeekeeper
04-26-2012, 07:24 PM
Drawn is not the best test. Imagine for a moment you have 30 supers of drawn comb. Do you add one every few minutes until you do not have a tall enough ladder?
The reasons not to have too many outweigh any advantage.
food and brood is scattered everywhere
The bees have too much to defend and HVAC.
The large unused space will have a large thermal component any time but winter.
When all they have is full of brood and food add another super!

throrope
04-26-2012, 07:30 PM
I was surprised by how quickly bees can fill a super. An experienced keeper mused they move the honey around the hive. My take is they evaporate the nectar throughout the hive and store honey in the supers.