Question about supers

[Redcap]

Thoughts please.... I've had a brood and a half, with an extra super on top separated by a queen excluder..... ( I also did a split on this colony a few months back). All is good, however, the top super has been hardly touched, whereas the 'lower' super is quite full with mostly capped honey.... so on an inspection this evening, I decided to swap the 2 supers, and put the 'untouched' super between the brood box and the well filled super, in the hope that the bees will start 'working' this super too...is this the best thing to do.... or have I made a schoolboy error?

 

[GuyNir]

Might work, but might get brood in it now it’s under the QE.

 

[enrico]

Not sure where you left the qe but it won't do any harm if above or below!
E

 

[eltalia]

Me I get wholly befuddled with lingo used here around supers and broodnest boxes.
Seeing as how UK b'yarders are hellbent on using little boxes for everything maybe
the QX plays a more significant role than in other locales.
Whatever is above is a super.
Whatever is below is broodchamber.
?
?
?

Bill

 

[gbee]

Me I get wholly befuddled with lingo used here around supers and broodnest boxes.
Seeing as how UK b'yarders are hellbent on using little boxes for everything maybe
the QX plays a more significant role than in other locales.
Whatever is above is a super.
Whatever is below is broodchamber.
?
?
?

Bill

Beek nomenclature is just weird in general. I prefer thinking in terms of small (BS super) medium (BS brood) and large (BS 14x12).

As such, brood is

1 medium = too small.
1 medium and 1 small = better size but 2 boxes and different size frames = hassle.
1 large = better size and only 1 box to check brood.
2 medium = biggest size but 2 boxes.

Sadly our only retailer thorne’s starter kits are brood and a half, medium and small, which is easily the worst config.

So the OP is running this but the brood is only filling one medium. Personally I would move to 14x12.

 

[Redcap]

Might work, but might get brood in it now it’s under the QE.

The QE now sits below both supers..

 

[Redcap]

Not sure where you left the qe but it won't do any harm if above or below!
E

Reassuring, thanks E.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Me I get wholly befuddled with lingo used here

Pot/Kettle colour check

 

[Redcap]

I also have 14x12, and yes quite like them, but this post was specifically about my national and hopefully getting more interest in the ‘unworked’ super. Separately, having now experimented with 14x12;brood and a half and also double brood, I’m inclined to go more with double brood in the future.

 

[eltalia]

Pot/Kettle colour check

Issat from the "Little Book of Calm"????
------ (Bailey -Black Books)

Bill
--

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-X5oCV7hWgs&list=PLFUnAiQW2RaCE1tJnkOe45z3LnA0q7gYy&index=2&t=0s

 

[eltalia]

I also have 14x12, and yes quite like them,
(edit)
I'm inclined to go more with double brood in the future.

It is more about what bees like.
Some close illustrations to be found in using long deep hive bodies
in noting how bees take to that lack of clutter.
More of does not always equal better.

Bill

 

[Madge]

Me I get wholly befuddled with lingo used here around supers and broodnest boxes.
Seeing as how UK b'yarders are hellbent on using little boxes for everything maybe
the QX plays a more significant role than in other locales.
Whatever is above is a super.
Whatever is below is broodchamber.

Bill

Well, for a start: we have 'apiaries' - not bee yards.
Correct: above is a 'super'. It can be a deep or a shallow.
At the bottom is a broodbox, and below that, possibly, a nadir - usually only when a half-filled, uncapped super needs cleaning out over winter.

If you have Warrés, the order is usually reversed.

In the chamber is a pot - not bees.

 

[eltalia]

Well, for a start: we have 'apiaries' - not bee yards.
Correct: above is a 'super'. It can be a deep or a shallow.
At the bottom is a broodbox, and below that, possibly, a nadir - usually only when a half-filled, uncapped super needs cleaning out over winter.

If you have Warrés, the order is usually reversed.

In the chamber is a pot - not bees.

Thanks... my article was written as a beekeeper n0t as an apiarist as the
audience - near as I can tell - are all backyarders (b'yarders).
The terminology used is not any problem - the size (real estate) of boxes
is.
Like in assessing a question around supering it cannot be assumed
as to whether small medium or large is being used. And despite what a
few may believe..?... it does make a difference in management needs.
Simpler to put any help using the means I suggested.
Problem with that is then there are those who'll never use a QX... and who
knows what that stack then could be named... a beehive, I guess.
/shrug/

Bill

 

[Madge]

Thanks... my article was written as a beekeeper n0t as an apiarist as the
audience - near as I can tell - are all backyarders (b'yarders).

'Apiarist' is a synonym for 'beekeeper'. Consult your dictionary. 'Beekeeper' is more commonly used.

You asked about British 'lingo'. As I said, we keep our bees in apiaries (whether we call ourselves beekeepers or apiarians, or whether we're hobby beekeepers or bee farmers). We do not keep our bees in yards.

The terminology used is not any problem - the size (real estate) of boxes
is.

I've also answered this: A super can be any size, a brood box can be any size, and so can a nadir - but because most people use shallows as supers, they tend to call their shallows 'supers'.

 

[eltalia]

"You asked about British 'lingo'."

Yes... specificly attached to box size _only_.
The rest is either known or TMI... like our backyard is your "garden"
and a "beekeeper" here is strictly amateur - with "apiarist" reserved for
the professionaly papered, a Diploma in Apiculture being entry level
(TMI).

Whilst your explanation of sizing is quite clear the fact is not altered
nor the job of facilitating restructure eased in having any box of any
size used for whatever - little wonder 'apiarys' as depicted in uploads
here are a mess, compared to our(local) simple 2 or 3 box stacks.


Bill

 

[Finman]

In Finland we say honey box and brood box.

If brood box is full of honey we use to say : " brood box is full of honey" . Or "honey box is full of brood. ".......

 

[Madge]

...little wonder 'apiarys' as depicted in uploads
here are a mess, compared to our(local) simple 2 or 3 box stacks.

Bill

Your level comprehension is clearly limited.

 

[Poly Hive]

Very limited indeed.

PH

 

[Swarm]

Very limited indeed.

PH

But still filling the place with nonsense.

 

[pargyle]

But still filling the place with nonsense.

Bit more condensed now he's not allowed to pollute the kindergarten !