Zante
Field Bee
- Joined
- Feb 22, 2016
- Messages
- 683
- Reaction score
- 0
- Location
- Near Florence, Italy
- Hive Type
- Dadant
- Number of Hives
- 2
Think of the logistics:
One big extraction:
Gains: Saves cleaning up multiple times #
Losses: Repeated lifting of full supers in weekly inspections..Say 20kg each . On and off each hive.
Storage during extraction of full and empty supers and protection from bees.
Time taken to carry full supers to extraction point.
Large amount of storage required fro honey to settle.
Run out of empty supers unless you have 4? 5? per hive..(Think of the lifting!)
Extraction may take all day and be exhausting..
Several Extractions
Gains:
less storage, fewer supers needed. and smaller settling tanks
Work spread out so you can do some when you have spare time.
Easier to inspect hive with fewer full supers.
Losses:
More cleaning.
More handling .
If you need assistance, it will be required more than once.
You have to think through your personal logistics or how would you carry it, store and extract and settle honey in each case.
For me , it's simple. I don't have the space to do all at once, the strength to handle it, the money for the extra equipment. AND I hate moving heavy supers on a ladder when they are five high. And my hive stands would break under the weight....
Thanks, that helps a lot (no sarcasm)