[LeonardS]

.......and start extracting?

Just curious how you decide when to stop piling on the supers and start extracting? I have plenty of supers on hand, and some of my hives will get their third super in the next week. I typically don't extract until the end of August, but the bees are filling supers much faster this year. I have seen the photos with 7-8-9 supers piled on, but I'm not sure that is the best approach.

 

[John R C]

I stop when they finish out the flow. If you stop they'll swarm, or just not make honey. If they aren't making honey, they aren't paying their way and to me become freeloaders. I can't stand a freeloader so queens or bees that don't produce get replaced.

 

[Vance G]

You can get more honey in my experience by extracting and throwing the wet combs right back on the hive. But the bees will fill them as tall as you want to stack them if the flow continues.

 

[GOHoney]

Great question. I have two hives (Packages) installed April 5th that have done very well. They both have two deeps and have built all of the frames out. I added one super to each last Saturday. The second deep was mostly drawn comb but they had about a quarter of it full of honey and pollen. The queens had also been laying in the middle.

 

[Ted adams]

You can get more honey in my experience by extracting and throwing the wet combs right back on the hive. But the bees will fill them as tall as you want to stack them if the flow continues.

I agree with Vance, why not extract as they go? Start selling honey now, place supers right back on hives. Spreads out the work for you and produces you the chance to get honey to customers before the completion .

 

[woodedareas]

Where did you get packages that early in April? Our did not arrive until the later in th month.

Great question. I have two hives (Packages) installed April 5th that have done very well. They both have two deeps and have built all of the frames out. I added one super to each last Saturday. The second deep was mostly drawn comb but they had about a quarter of it full of honey and pollen. The queens had also been laying in the middle.

 

[Roland]

Listen to Vance, extract as they fill. You will keep the different flavors separate that way too.

Crazy Roland