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Number of supers

2K views 5 replies 6 participants last post by  BULLSEYE BILL 
#1 ·
What would a good number of supers to start the season with using Med supers. I have 2 Hives and want to make sure I order enough supers with Small Cell foundation.
 
#3 ·
Very good advise Clayton,When I think about starting a new hive I've alway's add in the cost of 3.It seem's to work out about right.
Some say they have these super bee's that will fill 5-6-7-8 super's.don't all the time work like that.so I say clayton is right start with 3.then you can add or take away as you go.Just my 2 cent worth.>>>>Mark
 
#4 ·
>Some say they have these super bee's that will fill 5-6-7-8 super's.don't all the time work like that.so I say clayton is right start with 3.then you can add or take away as you go.Just my 2 cent worth.

And I didn't know I HAD super bees. I've never seen them fill 6 medium supers but I've seen them fill five. But it depends on the timing of the weather and the weather and the timing of the bees and a prolific queen. I can't say it's that nice when they do. The hive gets too tall to work.

I agree three is a good plan. If they all look like they are going to fill up you can order some more. Better to have a couple of extras around than run out, but meantime you can harvest some and then give them back too.
 
#5 ·
Five mediums a hive isn't enough here. I try to draw out some deeps when I run short, but one has to be careful to get them on when the flow is strong enough and save some drawn combs for the end as the flow slows down. Sure is nice in spring to have a stack of white comb drawn deeps for swarms and divides.
 
#6 ·
>What would a good number of supers to start the season with using Med supers. I have 2 Hives and want to make sure I order enough supers with Small Cell foundation.

Sorry, I'm confused. Why do you want to put small cell foundation in the honey supers? Or are they for replacing your deeps?

I have a rule for planting trees. Plant twice as many as you want, and you will end up with half as many as you wanted.

Last year I could not keep up making enough mediums as I needed. See rule above. Every swarm I catch is going to eventully cost me at least five mediums boxes, hopefully more. Even if you only plan to have two hives and are planning for honey supers, get twice as many as you think you will need. Bees expand, bee yards expand.

Ok so you have two colonys, you should have at least three meds for honey, four are better. You could use the extras for the unexpected swarm. Then how many mediums for that swarm brood? And then for their honey supers, and on and on.

If I were you, I would not order any less than ten, and I really think that is not enough.
 
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