After extraction.......what?

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E1M

House Bee
Joined
Apr 24, 2011
Messages
169
Reaction score
0
Location
Wisbech
Hive Type
National
Number of Hives
6
Just finished extracting honey from 2 supers. Just put empty super back on hive, above crown board and they have gone mad.
Trying to get in the escapes, all around the outside, lots and lots of activity.
Is this normal?
 
How do you mean trying to get in the escapes?

Put supers above crown board with feed holes open, they will go up and clean them out.
 
Yes. I put it on top of super without crown board and 24 hours later remove bees with bee escape, take off and store. Always add wet supers in late evening lessen this manic problem!
E
 
I'm putting one back on tonight - my first time - I am waiting until a bit later as quite a few bees still seem to be returning.
 
Thank you Enrico you have answered my query, I should have done this after the sun had faded.
 
Thank you Enrico you have answered my query, I should have done this after the sun had faded.

There is also a signature on the forum thats says "you can never haveenough Crown boards"

Did you put a crown board on top of the super? , i expect not, all that rising hot air pushing out that lovely smell of honey that's is coming out of roof's bee escapes

cover the super with a crown board, or at least a 46cm square of cardboard if you dont have one

and in the future put mesh behind the roof's bees escape, see top bicks views on another thread on the forurm, th
 
I'll stick my neck out with some received wisdom that's worked so far for me...

You don't have to go to the trouble of putting supers back on for the bees to clean out. Just store them wet for the winter - deters wax moths also (not sure if that's greater, lesser or both but I store wet, don't use acetic acid and have never had a problem with wax moths going at my supers).
 
:iagree:
But a wet super is a mouse magnet. Make sure they are well protected for the winter. Metal queen excluders top and bottom of a stack of wet supers is one good option.
 
:iagree:
But a wet super is a mouse magnet. Make sure they are well protected for the winter. Metal queen excluders top and bottom of a stack of wet supers is one good option.

Yep, keeps moths out but if you are not mouse proof look out, in the winter the mice will have the taps off you extractor, the fingers off your gloves, the wet frames from your hives and then they will climb into the hive to go to sleep.
 
:iagree: i always store wet and guard against mice and rats.
 
What is the best way to store wet supers?
 
How about a commercial fridge - we got one a couple of years ago - the width between the shelf runners is just right for a National frame
 
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