[kchendershott]

I have my 6 hives set up on 4 concrete blocks plus a pallet, SBB, two deeps, and then supers. Right now some hives have 5 shallow supers (a few are mediums) on top, and I'm wondering how high should I go. I only add one at a time when I see the tops being really worked, and have extracted some early, but really have about 8 weeks before I really extract in September. Anyone experience trouble with hives being too high? Any chance they will fall?

 

[honeybeekeeper]

Are you feeding?

 

[mike haney]

"...Any chance they will fall..."
absolutely! especially dangerous after a good soaking rain when things sink in the dirt/mud unevenly. pallets have been know to collapse under less weight than you have. extract and return the supers.
good luck,mike

 

[beekeeper1756]

Congratulations on a super honey harvest, no pun intended. Wish I had the same problem.

 

[kchendershott]

I put on my last supers yesterday, which were undrawn. Actually, more than half the supers I used this year were undrawn on Duragilt or Plasticell, but the bees didn't seem to mind. Even the two new swarm hives started in June have filled both hive bodies from foundation, and started on their honey supers. I can't imagine how fast they all would have filled supers with drawn comb! I guess I will have to extract and replace every 2-3 weeks and count my blessings!

In response to honeybeekeeper - I haven't fed the established hives since April. We had an early warm spell this spring, and very quick buildup. Plus, the large farm across the road from us wasn't cultivated this year, so it all came up weeds and flowers - what a boon for bees!

 

[sqkcrk]

This is a really good honey year, in The North Country anyway.

During the last week I visited every one of my apiaries and colonies. If I saw a few drops of nectar in an otherwise empty super of comb, these are mostly shallow supers (5 11/16"), I put two supers on. If a real flow gets going I won't be there at the right time. And they won't fill the supers if they are in storage. (i wish someone would figure out why)

I also put two shallow or medium supers or one deep super on hives that had honey showing or in plenty in the top super.

The basswood comb and honey was pure white and warm from the sun and being in a bee hive. The taste was heavenly.

So, at this time of year, you can put on more supers than you need to, which won't hurt anything. But if you don't put on what the bees need to store what honey they make, you are going to miss honey.

That's my take.

 

[Konrad]

>>How many supers can I safely add<<

This depends on your back and many other factors...like,
how sound is your foundation, how good are your boxes, how vertical can you stack them,
...had several deeps up.

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c97/fruitnut_/Honeybee/IMG_0408_1_3_1.jpg

 

[Pugs]

Konrad,

What is that shelf sticking out from the top box? I've never seen anything like it.

Pugs

 

[sqkcrk]

how good are your boxes,

? I don't understand that part. If boxes are in good enuf shape to hold frames, what more do you need for "good"ness? Sure, good sound boxes w/out holes in them look nice, but they don't make anymore honey.

I knew a guy whose equipment looked like woodpeckers had worked on it, I think some had. He always made a crop of honey.

 

[Konrad]

? I don't understand that part. If boxes are in good enuf shape to hold frames, what more do you need for "good"ness? Sure, good sound boxes w/out holes in them look nice, but they don't make anymore honey.

I knew a guy whose equipment looked like woodpeckers had worked on it, I think some had. He always made a crop of honey.

If I had deep boxes half rotten with woopecker holes in it,.. they might just fall appart when
takeing down 6 foot up and have honey all over you.

Konrad,

What is that shelf sticking out from the top box? I've never seen anything like it.

Pugs

This in the top entrance landing board

Konrad

 

[NasalSponge]

Yea, my mentor had some brood boxes that had no chance of holding up 5 or 6 full supers...paint only thing holding them together.

 

[StevenG]

I have seen some old photographs of hives 8 and 9 deeps tall. I myself wanted to see how high my boomer would get this year. Made sure it was stable on the ground, ground was solid. Only got 3 deeps, 2 mediums, and a couple of shallows on it though. Even then, had to use a step ladder. Kind of hard on the back to manipulate, but it sure was fun getting the pictures!
Regards,
Steven