Adding supers without hurting bees

[richardbees]

My instructor recommended top bee space for this very reason (so does Ted Hooper). It was too late for me as I'd already acquired a set of bottom space boxes.....

"I hear that train a'coming, coming down the track.......no it's icanhopit a'lying on his back..."

 

[victor meldrew]

My instructor recommended top bee space for this very reason (so does Ted Hooper). It was too late for me as I'd already acquired a set of bottom space boxes.....

"I hear that train a'coming, coming down the track.......no it's icanhopit a'lying on his back..."

Bee space is bee space , box edges are box edges , clumsy beekeepers are clumsy beekeepers ,
If the bee space is kept clear of burr comb ,the point of contact is the box edges only! therefore top/ bottom bee space makes little difference to the mortality rate , the actions of the beekeeper is however featured in every bee death .

VM

 

[richardbees]

Victor
..".,the point of contact is the box edges only!"

Sorry victor but that's not true - as it's impossible to vertically lower a super exactly down onto the box below. In practice we all have to put it down 'to take the weight' at a point of contact and then swivel/slide it across to fit - with a guillotine effect.

 

[victor meldrew]

Victor
..".,the point of contact is the box edges only!"

Sorry victor but that's not true - as it's impossible to vertically lower a super exactly down onto the box below. In practice we all have to put it down 'to take the weight' at a point of contact and then swivel/slide it across to fit - with a guillotine effect.

Sorry Richard that is true.!
The point of contact is box edge to box edge plain and simple , be it in final position ( usually impossible to attain) or on the skew !
This is where the good bee keeper bad beekeeper conflict starts !
It's the care taken to straighten up the boxes that differentiates twix the two
The same guillotine effect occurs with both top and bottom bee space, remember that in a top space hive, the bees hang brace comb from the frame bottoms into the said space . Hence my remark that there is very little difference between top and bottom space !

VM

 

[OXFORDBEE]

The same guillotine effect occurs with both top and bottom bee space, remember that in a top space hive, the bees hang brace comb from the frame bottoms into the said space . Hence my remark that there is very little difference between top and bottom space !
VM

True, when rotating boxes through 45 degrees you have to remember the burr comb between tops and bottom of frames can cause bees to be killed inside the hive when boxes are rotated. Note: dodgy bee spaces can also cause problems too if they are too small between boxes...

If you've got the strength to put the super on square, but gently raise and lower lower it to encourage bees to move out of the way minimal casualties occur .....

Well at least for me....

 

[jallen]

Bee brush works for me just brush them away from the sides then place supper on