2nd super

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Not sure I understand you. If adding supers under each other, when the top super is capped the bees will move down into super below. If adding supers above bees will have to walk through capped supers this therefore creates space for a larger colony.

But the place space is needed is directly above the brood. As finny said bees store the honey at the top then work their way down so the new super should go below the last, they will then begin to cap the topmost super and store in the newly added one. It also means less traffic over the capped stores (If you want show quality frames) and if you want to take a super off to extract you don't have to dismantle the whole hive.
I had some hives last year with seven or eight (one nine) supers (both deep and shallow) on. Each new one was initially placed directly over the brood.

 

[Bosleeu]

As mentioned before, put the new super just above the excluder, and likewise with subsequent ones. As supers move up they get capped and can be extracted, and then placed at the bottom again.

The use of a frame or two that are filled in the new super seems to get them into things nicely, especially if your new super has foundation.

 

[sbisme]

Thanks for the help guys, new super added above the brood box and the filled one above the new super which is now being capped.

 

[Moggs]

'Sub' supers are prone to a dash or two of pollen, as the brood nest expands upwards and outwards.


I've had that déjà vu before...

 

[YorkshireBees]

'Sub' supers are prone to a dash or two of pollen, as the brood nest expands upwards and outwards.


I've had that déjà vu before...

Too damed right!

I have a hive going great on 3 supers.
Top 2 60% full of nectar / honey and the bottom one has an empty polished cell area for brood with nectar / pollen in a classic arch pattern on the central frames.

A sure sign that they need more brood space! Luckily they now have it.

 

[Ely]

Bees need room to store and evaporate. I would have added a second already.
Cazza

Don't wait until the first super is full before adding a second.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Don't wait until the first super is full before adding a second.

or third, or fourth, or.........................................

 

[YorkshireBees]

or third, or fourth, or.........................................

If there is a good flow on, such as OSR etc., don't be scared of adding 2 supers at once!

Bees can fill a super faster than you expect if they are strong and there is a good flow!

 

[BeeBeeKa]

If there is a good flow on, such as OSR etc., don't be scared of adding 2 supers at once!

Bees can fill a super faster than you expect if they are strong and there is a good flow!

Ok, what was the fastest rate of filling in the super in your career guys and girls taking in account only the natural( and nectar) way of filling?

 

[Finman]

Ok, what was the fastest rate of filling in the super in your career guys and girls taking in account only the natural( and nectar) way of filling?

What I have measured with balance hive is 7 kg a day and 50 kg in 7 days.

Once I had 3 hives in fireweed pasture. Each brought 120 kg in 3 weeks and each drew 3 box foundations.

At same time with those 3 hives I had big hives on dry sandy pine wood area. Result -15kg during July.

 

[jonnybeegood]

But the place space is needed is directly above the brood. As finny said bees store the honey at the top then work their way down so the new super should go below the last, they will then begin to cap the topmost super and store in the newly added one. It also means less traffic over the capped stores (If you want show quality frames) and if you want to take a super off to extract you don't have to dismantle the whole hive.
I had some hives last year with seven or eight (one nine) supers (both deep and shallow) on. Each new one was initially placed directly over the brood.

Can i ask is there a reason to leave nine supers on? Is it a time factor for extraction? I was thinking if i get to a third super i would extract one & replace it empty. & so never getting above three or four at the very most.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

It developed into a massive colony and they needed the space at one point. One of the 'supers' was originally the top BB of a demarree. last year they were filling over a super in a week and TBH I didn't have the time nor the inclination to faff around extracting every five minutes, and when they're on a flow like that you don't b*gger about taking boxes off. At any one time there was only two supers capped and ready for extraction anyway.

 

[jonnybeegood]

Ah thanks, now i can see why. I'm about to add a second super & have decided to put it under the first super as its foundation & i think the heat off the Bb helps. Another thing i found helps, i put a super on a nuc, & you know how foundation can be freshened with a hair dryer? Well i did this & put them in an empty nuc, i then blew the hairdryer on it all to warm everything up & put the lid on. I quickly went & put this foundation while everything was really warm into the super, it smelled wonderful. I looked in through the clear crownboard a couple of hours later & the bees were all over it starting to draw it out. Much better than cold foundation going in.

 

[Finman]

.
If colony does not occupye new comb box or new foundation box, colony is too small and you have put the box too early.

I have never freshened foundations, even if they are 5 y old. However bees have drawn all foundations, but not according my shedule.

One reason is low outdoor temperatures. First of all bees protect brood. That is why you may put extra foundation box under the brood box, if you are afraid that hive will be crowded and it is difficult to foresee.

 

[Finman]

Ah thanks, now i can see why. I'm about to add a second super & have decided to put it under the first super as its foundation & i think the heat off the Bb helps. Another thing i found helps, i put a super on a nuc, & you know how foundation can be freshened with a hair dryer? Well i did this & put them in an empty nuc, i then blew the hairdryer on it all to warm everything up & put the lid on. I quickly went & put this foundation while everything was really warm into the super, it smelled wonderful. I looked in through the clear crownboard a couple of hours later & the bees were all over it starting to draw it out. Much better than cold foundation going in.

You have too much own beliefs in this writing. It does not go that way.
Colony must be strong enough that it occupye new hive room. And too many tricks which are not needed.

 

[thenovice]

My preference is the opposite!

I'm of the opinion that wax-making is easiest for the bees where it is warmest.
And that is just above the brood ...

Another piece of my personal heresy is to put a couple of drawn frames in the middle of the box of 'foundation' so that it immediately "links" with the box above.
Then the bees get on with drawing the frames adjacent to those already drawn.


Nowadays, I use SN1 frames and, to get them drawn, I temporarily add Hoffman converter clips and load them 12 to a National super (with rails) - there being no propolis on the clean spacers, 12 fit nicely. Once the frames are 'significantly' drawn (but hopefully uncapped as yet) they get moved to a box with 10-slot castellations (during which process the Hoffman clips are removed, for reuse on the next undrawn frames after soda washing.)
This works much better for me than just plonking them in at 10-spacing to start. Unfortunately, that's what has to happen with Manleys, which can be a bit of a pain until they are well-drawn, after which they are fantastic (just be careful with the lugs when trying to get the frames out of the box!)

HI Itma,

You mentioned this last time we met on the safari. I have been thinking about this. As I use starter strips with nylon wire, I will stick to the 12 frame box. I am affraid the extra weight will snap the comb during spinning...

 

[jonnybeegood]

You have too much own beliefs in this writing. It does not go that way.
Colony must be strong enough that it occupye new hive room. And too many tricks which are not needed.

Sorry, that doesnt make much sense to me?

 

[BrianO]

I have a hive going great on 3 supers.
Top 2 60% full of nectar / honey and the bottom one has an empty polished cell area for brood with nectar / pollen in a classic arch pattern on the central frames.

A sure sign that they need more brood space! Luckily they now have it.

I am a convert in year two ( only... so not professing to be an expert, but learning quick ! ) to double brood early in summer late spring for strong colonies overwintered. I have seen the results and they are astounding !

As someone said " breed bees, to breed bees, to breed bees to make honey ".