Clearing bees reluctant to clear a super

[pargyle]

I've got one last super to take off .. it's a big colony in a 14 x 12. The super is absolutely full of honey. I don't use queen excluders but there is no brood in there (I very rarely get brood in super frames even without queen excluders).

The problem I have is that for once (and this has never happened before !) my rhombus clearer boards have not worked on this hive. I've had clearers on since Sunday .. all the other hives were cleared by Monday and I extracted on Tuesday but this one colony .. the super is still stuffed full of bees ... I mean .. not a few stragglers ... lots of bees.

I even put a second clearer board underneath the other clearer yesteday in case they were just finding their way back in but there was no sign of bees in the top clearer so I don't think they are getting back in ..just NOT LEAVING !! Oh .. and I tried a different flavour of rhombus clearer board .. one with the holes at the corners which has never failed ..

The other problem is the weather is foul .. heavy rain and not that warm. If it was fine I'd take a frame at a time and shake the bees off but I really don't want to mess about with them like that in this weather.. they aren't going to like it and it's not going to be fun for me.

I can't understand why they haven't gone down .. the only thing I can think is that the queen is in the super and they are sticking with her ?

So:

a) Any ideas for a way to clear them.
b) Any ideas why they are reluctant to clear.

or

c) should I just take the clearer board out and let them keep the super if they want it that much ? It's a Paynes Poly 14 x12 brood box and a Paynes poly super so I can't easily nadir it but I don't mind it staying on top over the winter if needs be.

Or any other suggestions ... 'er indoors is not that impressed that my extraction kit is still hanging around when I'm supposed to be done with it .. totally unreasonable but I have to live with it.

Sometimes the bees just don't do what the books say they should ...

 

[Newbeeneil]

Are the queen right? If they aren't they often don't go down into the broodbox.

 

[bingevader]

Will they move with a bit of smoke?
Cleared ours with smoke only this year.
It was a lovely sunny day though!
Most had gone by the time I lifted the supers, but it did need a few more squirts once off to shift the stragglers.
Probably not a great technique in the rain!

 

[pargyle]

Are the queen right? If they aren't they often don't go down into the broodbox.

Yes ..loads of brood in the brood box ..

 

[pargyle]

Will they move with a bit of smoke?
Cleared ours with smoke only this year.
It was a lovely sunny day though!
Most had gone by the time I lifted the supers, but it did need a few more squirts once off to shift the stragglers.
Probably not a great technique in the rain!

If the weather wasn't so foul I'd have no problem clearing them manually but it's been raining almost constantly for the last 24 hours and even just tipping the crown board had them buzzing ...

 

[enrico]

I reckon you still have the queen above the clearer board. If she doesn't go down then the other bees won't. Can you go through the super and see if she is there. If so then pop her underneath. That's my theory!
E

 

[drex]

Is there adequate room under the clearer board to hold all the bees, especially since weather will deter flyers. Try putting an empty super ( no frames) or an eke under the clearer.

 

[For want of a better word]

eBay item number:
293246295125

 

[madasafish]

SHake out frame by frame with helper holding umbrella.
(been there ,done that)

 

[ShinySideUp]

I've got one last super to take off .. it's a big colony in a 14 x 12. The super is absolutely full of honey. I don't use queen excluders but there is no brood in there (I very rarely get brood in super frames even without queen excluders).

The problem I have is that for once (and this has never happened before !) my rhombus clearer boards have not worked on this hive. I've had clearers on since Sunday .. all the other hives were cleared by Monday and I extracted on Tuesday but this one colony .. the super is still stuffed full of bees ... I mean .. not a few stragglers ... lots of bees.

I even put a second clearer board underneath the other clearer yesteday in case they were just finding their way back in but there was no sign of bees in the top clearer so I don't think they are getting back in ..just NOT LEAVING !! Oh .. and I tried a different flavour of rhombus clearer board .. one with the holes at the corners which has never failed ..

The other problem is the weather is foul .. heavy rain and not that warm. If it was fine I'd take a frame at a time and shake the bees off but I really don't want to mess about with them like that in this weather.. they aren't going to like it and it's not going to be fun for me.

I can't understand why they haven't gone down .. the only thing I can think is that the queen is in the super and they are sticking with her ?

So:

a) Any ideas for a way to clear them.
b) Any ideas why they are reluctant to clear.

or

c) should I just take the clearer board out and let them keep the super if they want it that much ? It's a Paynes Poly 14 x12 brood box and a Paynes poly super so I can't easily nadir it but I don't mind it staying on top over the winter if needs be.

Or any other suggestions ... 'er indoors is not that impressed that my extraction kit is still hanging around when I'm supposed to be done with it .. totally unreasonable but I have to live with it.

Sometimes the bees just don't do what the books say they should ...

I had this problem last year with an 8-way clearer. so much so that I went back to porter bee escapes. This year I put in an eke under the clearer and everything went fine. Just leave a gap, that might work.

 

[pargyle]

Is there adequate room under the clearer board to hold all the bees, especially since weather will deter flyers. Try putting an empty super ( no frames) or an eke under the clearer.

Yes .. all my clearer boards have 50mm space .. although it is a big colony they have a 14 x 12 brood box ... if they don't move overnight tonight I'll chuck and empty super under the clearer though .,. not a bad idea.

 

[pargyle]

SHake out frame by frame with helper holding umbrella.
(been there ,done that)

I have big fishing umbrella .. helpers are a bit thin on the ground .. so if the wind drops a bit it's an option ...

 

[pargyle]

I reckon you still have the queen above the clearer board. If she doesn't go down then the other bees won't. Can you go through the super and see if she is there. If so then pop her underneath. That's my theory!
E

Yes .. I think that might be the problem .. next go at it will be my big fishing umbrella and a serious look through the super with a crown of thorns in my pocket .. getting real grief from 'er indoors about the kit in the house so I've got to sort it one way or another .. bloody bees !

On a positive note I just picked up a Keter Maxi store on Preloved for a snip and I reckon it will take all my supers for winter storage and still have room for some other bits ... it will go down well if wife can't actually SEE how much kit I've got .. out of sight out of mind !

 

[pargyle]

eBay item number:
293246295125

Yeh ... knowing my luck I would find the queen was in the super and blow her jnto the hedge !!

 

[bobba]

eBay no. 202077413791

Not sure if Honey-B-Gone is compatible with your treatment free ways.

Ps. I have never used this product so have no idea if it works.


Another Idea I had to clear supers but have never tried is as follows:
Basically the idea is to make the super cold so the bees wont want to stay there. So I as thinking of making a tall eke with mesh on the sides to allow loads of ventilation. then put it above the super.

I am a compete noob so would like to know what you experienced guys think of this idea?

 

[Walrus]

Fume board + bee quick

 

[Codford]

Fume board + bee quick

Ditto. (I make my own version of Bee Quick - 80% pure ethanol, 10% benzaldehyde and 10% tea tree oil.)

 

[mbc]

Bee quick or homemade versions will not work so well in cold damp conditions, I was going to suggest a blower too but thinking about the lack of queen excluder (she could be in there)and it only being one super the simplest solution would be the tried and trusted goose wing, brush them off!

 

[For want of a better word]

Bee quick or homemade versions will not work so well in cold damp conditions, I was going to suggest a blower too but thinking about the lack of queen excluder (she could be in there)and it only being one super the simplest solution would be the tried and trusted goose wing, brush them off!

I use special Cornish Goosewings for removing bees from supers... in fact I was wondering if I could sell packets of three goosewings along side our organic cotton wax wraps?

Artificial imported goosewings are also available.


eBay item number:
332822592560
Chons da

 

[enrico]

You should know by now if the queen is in the super. There will be eggs. That make extracting difficult anyway so I would just leave them as they are! Take the honey off next year if there is any left!
E