A Quick question please.....

[freethorpe bees]

Only meant to be a quick question for tomorrow's adventure into the world of honey extraction!

I have put on a clearer board and hope to take the super off tomorrow.

a) do I need to use smoke into the brood box to take off the super?

b) When I put the wet super back on tomorrow evening do I remove the clearer board and put back the queen excluder or leave the crown board on?

Thanks!

FB

 

[Midland Beek]

If your clearer board has worked you should be able to lift the super off without a bee suit on and without smoke. No need to smoke the brood chamber.

But if the tines in the Porter escapes you are using were not carefully adjusted beforehand, be sure to light your smoker and put your bee suit on because when you lift off the super it still might contain a load of bees. Adjust tines in Porter escapes and do your extracting another day.

I would put wet super above both a queen excluder and a holes open clearer board.

 

[freethorpe bees]

Thanks MB - will take your advice.

FB

 

[gregnut]

I find there are always a few bees left in the super after using a clearer board. Move the super away from the hive, 10 metres or more, transfer the frames one at a time to an empty super, brushing off any bees with a feather or bee brush - they will fly back to the hive. I would always put a bee suit on, just in case!

 

[oliver90owner]

My only question would be : why are you replacing that wet super? For winter sugar feed, to get it cleaned up, for more honey storage by the bees. Apart from that MB is just about the normal standard, if you just want it dried off.

Many reckon frame comb generally stores better (from wax moth attack) when stored wet.

Regards, RAB

 

[BKF Admin]

If your clearer board has worked you should be able to lift the super off without a bee suit on

DONT DO THAT !!
You should always wear a suite whenever you go near a hive.

 

[freethorpe bees]

I am putting wet super back for the bees to clean - then storing it after 24 Hours(?). Then I will feed and treat with Apiguard.

 

[Skyhook]

Read the recent thread on wet supers. I put mine back on for cleaning- now not sure whether it was the best thing. Suggest you read it and make up your mind after that. Oh, and if you haven't got a bee brush, a wallpaper pasting brush works well.

Enjoy!

 

[kazmcc]

DONT DO THAT !!
You should always wear a suite whenever you go near a hive.

A suite? Do you mean a three piece suite? Wouldn't that make it difficult to move your arms?

Forgive me, I'm in a daft mood.....agree totally, if I intend to lift the roof, I'd wear a suit, even when cutting back the branches.

 

[BKF Admin]

I deserve that Kaz.

Its not the first time I have typed suite instead of suit.

 

[kazmcc]

I'm sure you'll get me back lol

 

[Mike a]

I find there are always a few bees left in the super after using a clearer board. Move the super away from the hive, 10 metres or more, transfer the frames one at a time to an empty super, brushing off any bees with a feather or bee brush - they will fly back to the hive. I would always put a bee suit on, just in case!

I do the same as MB said, although if I find one or two bees in the super I gently brush them off on to the crown board then remove the porter bee escapes before closing the hive. I may be wrong but I thought most of the bees found in a super were still house bees on transferring nectar, ripening and capping duties and have no idea yet how to find the entrance to their hive.

May be someone with a better knowledge can chip in and correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Hivemaker.]

If the combs are fully capped then there seems to be very few young bee's in them..or at least very few that don't know where they live, and when blown out the bee's fly or walk back into the entrance....you can also clear supers from several different hives by placing the supers on a clearer board with another on top several ft away from the hives...they then fly back to there respective hives.

 

[freethorpe bees]

Well that was a total disaster. Lifted the roof off hoping to just see a few bees in the super - it was choc a bloc! The bees escapes totally did not work - I stood and watched them coming in and out of them - laughing at me as they went no doubt!

I have 'tweaked' the tines and hoping with everything crossed that it will work this time. Best laid plans and all that!

By the way - do the tines have to be completely closed?

 

[victor meldrew]

I do the same as MB said, although if I find one or two bees in the super I gently brush them off on to the crown board then remove the porter bee escapes before closing the hive. I may be wrong but I thought most of the bees found in a super were still house bees on transferring nectar, ripening and capping duties and have no idea yet how to find the entrance to their hive.

May be someone with a better knowledge can chip in and correct me if I'm wrong.

House bees have the hive scent , bees fan at the entrance when the colony has been disturbed. The scent from the nasanov gland will guide the house bee home and her scent will allow admission, I've flicked bees off crown boards atop supers and watched them re-enter their hive many's the time !!

John Wilkinson

 

[oliver90owner]

By the way - do the tines have to be completely closed?

No. Look at instructions for use eg @ Th*rne.

Regards, RAB

 

[freethorpe bees]

[No. Look at instructions for use eg @ Th*rne.

Regards, RAB[/QUOTE]


Sorry to be dense RAB but I've looked at the Th*rne website and can't find any instructions.

 

[Hivemaker.]

https://secure.thorne.co.uk/popup/hhard22.htm

 

[freethorpe bees]

Thanks Hivemaker - you're a treasure!

I think my springs were about 3 mil apart when I put them back today - so have EVERYTHING crossed for tomorrow. Otherwise it's the slightly daunting job of brushing the bees off - and fighting off the wasps!