After Honey Extraction

[Achy]

Hi, my first season of beekeeping and am looking for some advice...

Bit of background.
I put a super on in June with undrawn foundation.
They filled filled this out both with comb and honey and capped the honey,

I added another super (with undrawn foundation) to give them something to expand into.

They didn't touch it, no honey, no comb - oh well.

I have some honey stores in the brood box (not loads, but some)
I extracted the honey from the full super.

Now this is where I'm struggling what to do next.

I took the undrawn super off.
I put the super with wet frames back on, (above the crown board) they cleaned it all up nicely.

I now have:
Brood box
QE
Crown Board
Roof

I have a tray of wet cappings, so I have just removed the roof and the crown board was completely full off bees, so after some smoke and coaxing I put the tray of cappings on the crown board, added an empty super as an eke and have replaced the roof.

I'm hoping they will pick through the cappings and take all the honey down to the brood box.

I'm beginning to panic a bit as it doesn't feel like they have much room.
Should I put a super with frames (drawn/undrawn?) back onto give them some room? Then let them decided what/where to go, they may start drawing (too late in the season?) filling it up with honey? - but will they take this down into the brood box if they need to ?

I know the brood should be reducing in size 'soon' but mid August seems a little early to me.. have I reduced their space down too soon?

Any advice welcome!

 

[enrico]

What I would do is add a super underneath the brood box. They will use it if they need it. If they don't use it then it can be removed later this year or in spring. I remove mine at first inspection by placing it over a QE if the weather is warm enough. The bees will fill the brood box with stores but if she needs too she may lay this year in that super. Alternatively add a new brood box underneath and leave it there until next year when you can split the hive if you wish. By adding it underneath there is no unecessary heat loss. In the set up you have at the moment you don't need the QE.
E

 

[Achy]

This will put the hive opening above the super, does that matter?

 

[thorn]

This will put the hive opening above the super, does that matter?

You put the “super” (pace, Oliver) on the floor, then the brood box on top. The entrance is built into the floor, not the brood box.

 

[enrico]

Just to be clear what type of hive do you have!
As thorn says. From bottom up ...... floor, super or extra brood box, present brood box, crown board, roof.
E

 

[Ian123]

this hives not that big to start with and by the sound of things theres plenty of space for stores in brood box... they wont object to much to a bit of crowding and if they were only occupying 1 super above bb to begin with thats nothing. let them clean the cappings up and get your treatments on....strong hives do sometimes build comb in roof if the ivy flow is good so just close the holes off and force them to use the bb if thats an issue in your area......adding vain space as finsky would say for winter is just pontless

 

[Achy]

I've got a national hive.
The crown board is covered with bees at the moment and I have a gabled roof, so bit concerned that they will start putting brace comb.

So from above:

Option 1: Put super under brood box for space
Option 2: Block up crown board hole to stop them coming into roof space.

But regardless I should probably move the crown board on top of my super/eke so I can put my treatment on.

 

[Beefriendly]

I've got a national hive.
The crown board is covered with bees at the moment and I have a gabled roof, so bit concerned that they will start putting brace comb.

How are they getting thought the crown board?
If you are following the "normal" advice of holes in crown board then suggest that you close off all holes add slab of Cellotex/foam insulation above ..that will solve any potential issues. And assist them in overwintering by proving better insulation

 

[enrico]

Just for the record, a crown board has no holes. A feeder board does, a feeder board with the hole blocked off becomes a crown board!!
Holes should only be there if you are feeding
E

 

[Beefriendly]

Just for the record, a crown board has no holes.
E

Now Now Enrico, nearly all crown boards have 2 holes for porter bee escapes.....
Here's a picture of the one Thrones currently sell...complete with....

 

[Achy]

Ive got the crown board hole opened as I have put the cappings for them to clean on top.

When they've picked through it I'll close the board up and move it on top of the eke, and put the apiguard on top of the brood frames (remove QE? Or doesn't it matter?)

 

[Achy]

Now Now Enrico, nearly all crown boards have 2 holes for porter bee escapes.....
Here's a picture of the one Thrones currently sell...complete with....

I understand what Enrico is saying as with the porters in place it has effectively closed the holes.

So these are multi-purpose boards really

Crown
Feeder
Clearer

 

[Ian123]

I understand what Enrico is saying as with the porters in place it has effectively closed the holes.

So these are multi-purpose boards really

Crown
Feeder
Clearer

Yes they are multi purpose boards and they are called crown boards. I guess how you use them that particular moment is up to you

 

[Beefriendly]

I understand what Enrico is saying as with the porters in place it has effectively closed the holes.

Only to the bees. Air will still flow through which means they loose heat.

 

[enrico]

I was just trying to help so that we were all speaking the same language. I do know that they are sold as crown boards with holes in but actually they are clearer boards!
I wasn't being pedantic, just trying to be helpful, still, I think we all know what we all mean so ....... Use the clearer, feeder,crown boards but if there are holes then put something over the holes to block them up for winter!
E

 

[Popparand]

I understand what Enrico is saying as with the porters in place it has effectively closed the holes.

So these are multi-purpose boards really

Crown
Feeder
Clearer

It's a shame that Trones are still selling these crown boards with porter escape holes or with porter escapes. These escapes are useless for clearing supers. I found this out from recent experience, so now I just close the holes with metallic tape or close up the springs so bees can go neither which way. I guess when I am feeling less lazy I'll find a better way.

There are many other and better ways of clearing supers. Based on advice from other contributors I used rhombus escapes and they work perfectly with not a single bee left behind.

Going forward, I m considering using polycarbonate crown boards, and may convert the porter "escape" boards for feeders.

In the meantime, a pox on Trones for selling these rubbish escapes.