[Lershac]

Hi all, I put on a second deep brood super three weeks ago, and went back today for a look-see and WOW they had drawn all that comb out and packed it full of honey with the middle frames being about 1/2 brood 1/2 honey.

I quickly got my super on for honey and have a few more ready.

For them to draw out that much comb and pack all ten frames with honey that quickly (it was beautiful!) when should I go back and check the super? I don't want to slow them down, as I have heard that bothering them too much causes a honey-storing hiatus, but I also want to keep them in empty supers to fill... any experienced guys out there willing to help with an opinion? Bush what do you think?

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Chuck
Information Systems Consultants
[email protected]

 

[Lershac]

Oh forgot to say,

Wow I was not expecting to be able to harvest this year! WOW WOW wOW~! Talk about getting you excited about the bees, (and maybe I ate too much burr comb w/ honey while I was out there!) Nothing like that honey rush of energy.

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Chuck
Information Systems Consultants
[email protected]

 

[Michael Bush]

>When should I go back and check the super?

I figure I check on things about once a week.

>I don't want to slow them down, as I have heard that bothering them too much causes a honey-storing hiatus, but I also want to keep them in empty supers to fill... any experienced guys out there willing to help with an opinion? Bush what do you think?

If you just pop the top off and put a puff of smoke in the inner cover (one puff) and pull the inner cover and peek in the super you will not cause much disruption.

If you smoke them heavily and go through the whole hive you will disrupt them a lot.

It's ok to peek inside a super. I often do it with no smoke at all. They are usually busily working the honey and pay no attention to you anyway.

 

[clintonbemrose]

I would keep a close eye on them and make sure that they do not become honey bound in the brood area.
This will help prevent swarming
I always put on 2 supers at a time and peek every 2 weeks
Clint

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Clinton Bemrose
just South of Lansing Michigan

 

[Michael Bush]

The funny thing about supers and honey flow is that you'll check once a week for several weeks and nothing happens. Then all of a sudden they are full. Every two weeks is probably fine too.

 

[Lershac]

I think that there is a heavy flow going right now ( I am new so I am just guessing) the crepe myrtles are coming into bloom and there is a couple of acres of empty lot a block over that is covered in purple wildflowers... I see "my" bees over there alot.

My bees are also visiting my fountain much more heavily than in the beginning, sometimes there are 20 at it. Not complaining, thats what the fountain is there for.

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Chuck
Information Systems Consultants
[email protected]

 

[BjornBee]

The statement about not getting honey the first year and other statements have to be tailored to each persons location. Its like the girl from maine who may read about a location for shade. Not in Maine. She needed to maximize the "available" season she has.

Like the above example, you being from down south means "the book" response needs to be tailored. Your growing season and honey flows are diferent from the "General" concepts. Up north you may need to harvest once. You may need to harvest more than once. Putiing "Wet" supers is a great stimulator for the bees.

Take off the first couple supers and this early honey is usually lighter and more milder than the later honey. Than take off again perhaps in early Sept. and have a completely different tasting fall honey.

[This message has been edited by BjornBee (edited June 06, 2003).]

 

[Lershac]

"Putiing "Wet" supers is a great stimulator for the bees"

What does this mean?

 

[Michael Bush]

You pull the supers of capped honey. You extract them. Then you put them back on the hive. They are "wet" because there is still a film of honey on them and the bees get very excited cleaning them up. Hence "stimulator".

 

[Lershac]

Cool Thanks MB-

Yeah I was reading the books and they talk about the temperatures being the limiting factors on the bee activity... I think here locally we have "bee season" 9-10 months out of the year. This is in Baton Rouge. I have been trying to hook up with the local bee group, but their mtg schedule and mine never coincide...

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Chuck
Information Systems Consultants
[email protected]