Adding supers and crown boards

[Roybaz]

I have 1 brood box with 1 super above seperated by queen excluder. I am anticipating harvesting my super soon and notice that the hive is very full (of bees). Would you suggest adding another super now between the existing super and brood box to add room and draw down the bees from the full super? Should I use a crown board between the 2 supers with a porter bee escape to allow bees down from the full super but not let them back in?
Thanks from a bee keeper in training!!!

 

[Polyanwood]

Hello Roybaz.

Good that there are lots of bees. Can you tell us what this means so we can advise? How many frames of brood are there? What type of brood box are they in? How much nectar and honey is there in the existing super?

 

[Poly Hive]

Can I make a few comments.

There is a long standing argument as to whether supering over the brood is better than supering over the existing super. Your choice.

Porter bee escapes are unreliable and to further your beekeeping investing in making a couple of clearer boards is a good idea.

I prefer my crown boards to be unperforated.

Some tips here: http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=11959&highlight=clearer+board

PH

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Add a super now before the bees run out of space - just put it on top of the existing super (no separating clearer boards) then a crown board on top they will then start to use that super and draw comb and use for stores, you can then either extract it all at the end of the season or, when ready, swap them over - put the full super on top of the half filled one, with a clearer board (with porter escapes or whatever) in between for 24 hours before removing.
Remember you should always add another super before the existing one is filled or they will run out of space and think of swarming.
You will sooon see a debate starting as to whether the new super should go on top of the existing one or under, (I prefer to put new supers on top - saves faffing about and the bees don't seem to object) but the important thing is to give them more space before they need it.
Hope this helps

 

[enrico]

Porter bee escapes are fine if you keep them clean. What you suggested is ok...brood box, queen excluder, new super, clearer board with porter bee escapes, full super. If bees haven't cleared in 24 hours, turn full super through 90 degrees in case it is covering porters. Remove honey, give wet frames back to bees for 24 hours, clearer board again and take super off. Use this drawn super for main nectar flows.
E

 

[Roybaz]

I have WBC with 1 deep brood and 1shallow super seperated by excluder. Both brood and super are full of bees; all frames occupied. 9 of the super frames are fully built out with honey and capped; the remaining built out and filling with honey. I notice the frames in the. Broad box contain a lot of empty brood cells and assume the queen is not laying due to the lack do space???

 

[aberreef]

I add extra supers in both ways although I do prefer putting the empty underneath so I can see when the first is ready to extract. I've only got a cheap plastic extractor and it's bl**dy hard work extracting more than a few supers at a time

Not noticed a difference to the bees though

:edit: Everyone types faster than me lol. I'm agreeing with jenkinsbrynmair

 

[aberreef]

I have WBC with 1 deep brood and 1shallow super seperated by excluder. Both brood and super are full of bees; all frames occupied. 9 of the super frames are fully built out with honey and capped; the remaining built out and filling with honey. I notice the frames in the. Broad box contain a lot of empty brood cells and assume the queen is not laying due to the lack do space???

Sounds like they are desperate for another super there Are the cells in the BB full of syrup? It may be that the brood frames are getting blocked with nectar and this will lead to swarming if you're not careful.

As a note, bees will spread nectar out over a wide area to assist in evaporation to convert to storeable honey. It's always worth giving a little extra room before a super is full

 

[ratcatcher]

excuse my ignorance here, but I thought the brood box and one super was for the bee's to overwinter, and extra supers were then for your use

 

[aberreef]

excuse my ignorance here, but I thought the brood box and one super was for the bee's to overwinter, and extra supers were then for your use

Some do this, others overwinter on one box having fed syrup in the autumn

 

[Roybaz]

I have WBC with 1 deep brood and 1shallow super seperated by excluder. Both brood and super are full of bees; all frames occupied. 9 of the super frames are fully built out with honey and capped; the remaining built out and filling with honey. I notice the frames in the. Broad box contain a lot of empty brood cells and assume the queen is not laying due to the lack do space???

 

[Tom Bick]

If the brood box has empty cells then the queen has space to lay.

Perhaps the cells are recently emerged bees and will soon be ready for HRH or the queen is reducing egg laying in preparation for a swarm??

 

[Jeff Buzz]

For one box you could just shake the bees off the frames then a quick brush with a small branch off a leylandi tree or even a clump of long grass and you will have you honey away in 10 mins.
Just take another empty super with you to put the full frames in with a lid on and transfer the full ones over.

Works for me

 

[mo0g]

excuse my ignorance here, but I thought the brood box and one super was for the bee's to overwinter, and extra supers were then for your use

If you do want to overwinter on a brood box and super, you can still extract all the honey you can now, and just feed them in autumn until you have your super full of stores

 

[Rich0909]

Just a note of caution - best to ensure they have at least 2 good frames of stores in the brood box or stores in a second super before removing the first otherwise you risk starvation if the weather is poor for a few days. Unless you are desperate for the honey or short of supers there is no harm in leaving the honey on until August / September and removing just before you start feeding and/or varroa treatment.

Rich

 

[jackbee]

If you do want to overwinter on a brood box and super, you can still extract all the honey you can now, and just feed them in autumn until you have your super full of stores

i've wondered this, does sugar syrup in comb get evaporated and capped the same way that nectar will. I know it won't gve honey as such but does it thicken down??

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

i've wondered this, does sugar syrup in comb get evaporated and capped the same way that nectar will. I know it won't gve honey as such but does it thicken down??

Yes, they'll reduce the moisture content and cap it the same as they do honey that's why for winter stores we give the 2:1 syrup as it's less work for them

 

[jackbee]

Yes, they'll reduce the moisture content and cap it the same as they do honey that's why for winter stores we give the 2:1 syrup as it's less work for them

ah, thanks, wondered why the ratio changed.

OK turn that around, why 1:1 in spring then??

 

[aberreef]

ah, thanks, wondered why the ratio changed.

OK turn that around, why 1:1 in spring then??

1:1 is closer to the concentration of nectar so will be used more readily by the bees and less likely to store it

 

[jackbee]

1:1 is closer to the concentration of nectar so will be used more readily by the bees and less likely to store it

fab, thanks