Clearing multiple supers

[Levitt53]

I have a beast of a hive with 4 supers. I expect to want to extract 3 of them probably next weekend, the OSR is still in flower here. I am tall and have a bit of a dodgy back so my stands are a bit higher than normal. I was looking at it today and wondering how the hell I am going to clear the bees, bearing in mind it is all full of bees so I need to leave them enough space and to stack them all would be a nightmare. I presume a clearer board is not going to work for this reason. It has crossed my mind before that I could make up a hive somewhere else and stack them on a clearer board here and when the bees left they would go back to their hive with empty supers on top. I presume there is a reason we don't do this - probably nurse bees who would be lost, robbing! Anyway what do people suggest? I have had this problem at the end of the season when there are less bees but compacting them down is not really a solution. Nice problem to have!!

 

[Levitt53]

I've just thought that I could take the opportunity to split them and raise a new queen. Then I could split the supers to make life easier. I can happily leave them enough honey, although we don't get much of a June gap here. Hmm more thought needed.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Lift off three supers put an empty drawn one under, then clearer board, replace three supers

 

[Levitt53]

Wouldn't that compress them too much though? I assumed I would need to replace 3 with 2. I guess I'm going to have to get the step ladders out!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Wouldn't that compress them too much though? I assumed I would need to replace 3 with 2. I guess I'm going to have to get the step ladders out!

As soon as you have them extracted put them back on

 

[masterBK]

Take two supers off shake the bees off the combs, extract and put back and repeat with the other two supers. Or shake bees off all combs in all four supers and give them a couple of empty supers to acccomodate the bees. Haven't used clearer boards for decades (apart from in demonstrating their use to beginners) . With practise you can clear a super by the shake technique in about two minutes (even quicker if you have help)

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Lift off three supers put an empty drawn one under, then clearer board, replace three supers

bees will easily clear down from three supers into one extra, when extracted, pit another one on again

 

[simonwig]

I've done what you suggest, stack of supers away from the hive(s) on a floor with a clearer board. Works fine (and hives was deliberate, supers from different hives in the same stack no issues).
Simon

 

[Erichalfbee]

bees will easily clear down from three supers into one extra, when extracted, pit another one on again

Yes....theres much more room in an empty super than in one filled with capped honey

 

[hemo]

Step ladder , empty super or two and remove two to extract then give them back and extract the rest. Give room as there may be other major flows on as is current where I am, no OSR here and it is piling in.

 

[Brian Bush]

I have a beast of a hive with 4 supers. I expect to want to extract 3 of them probably next weekend, the OSR is still in flower here. I am tall and have a bit of a dodgy back so my stands are a bit higher than normal. I was looking at it today and wondering how the hell I am going to clear the bees, bearing in mind it is all full of bees so I need to leave them enough space and to stack them all would be a nightmare. I presume a clearer board is not going to work for this reason. It has crossed my mind before that I could make up a hive somewhere else and stack them on a clearer board here and when the bees left they would go back to their hive with empty supers on top. I presume there is a reason we don't do this - probably nurse bees who would be lost, robbing! Anyway what do people suggest? I have had this problem at the end of the season when there are less bees but compacting them down is not really a solution. Nice problem to have!!

Remove the supers. Place them on their side. Use a leaf blower to blow the bees back towrds the hive.

 

[Barbarian]

For several years I have used a system similar to Simon's which I read on a Canadian (?) source.
In the apiary, I set up a slightly distanced stack. On a stand, I put a crude solid floor which is opened at the front and bac, on top goes a shallow eke, then a clearer board where the bees exit downward . Upto 4 supers go on next. At the top is another clearer board where the bees exit upwards. The stack is topped by an inverted floor, again open front and back. The stack is left for 24 hours with most bees having left.

I like this system. You can use supers from different hives and there is less lifting of full supers

 

[Michael Palmer]

I don't really see an issue. I clear multiple supers (4-6) from very strong colonies with no issue. What are you using for the fumes? Have you ever used BeeGo...Butyric Anhydride... or similar product?

 

[Levitt53]

I've done what you suggest, stack of supers away from the hive(s) on a floor with a clearer board. Works fine (and hives was deliberate, supers from different hives in the same stack no issues).
Simon

Thanks that's interesting. I might try this. Or I might just get the step ladders out. I have options.

 

[Cuckmere couple]

bees will easily clear down from three supers into one extra, when extracted, pit another one on again

JBM....do you have an adaptation to your demaree board for this as a clearer board

the depth of baton i've used seems to allow a rhombus to situate....wondering if it would work and whether id need to remove the section of QE covering the hole through the board....

 

[bobba]

I had a hive with 3 supers in the spring last year, 2 were full one was maybe 20-30%.

I tried a clearer board on a single super and it did not work. So I added and eak under, with worked better but still not very well. then I tried the empty super and was suggested to me at the time, and that worked like a charm.

I to am interested by Simons method of clearing supers. I am tempted to give it a try. I am sold on the less lifting of heavy supers. I watch CBK on youtube. He used to leaf blow his supers, but has switched to clearer boards. his reason for switching was he felt blowing the bees caused more disruption to the hives, confusing the bees, and costing a day or 2 of production.

I worry a bit the stack will be more disruptive to the bees. I thought the bees working the honey were not the foragers, so will they necessarily go back to the right hives?

But - you say the supers were empty of bees, and there is less lifting of heavy supers. Foget about my concerns, I may give it a try.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

JBM....do you have an adaptation to your demaree board for this as a clearer board

the depth of baton i've used seems to allow a rhombus to situate....wondering if it would work and whether id need to remove the section of QE covering the hole through the board....

No - I have deeper clearer boards to help the bees go down. with timber prices they are I found that buying 'second quality' Apiguard ekes from Maisies as cheap as cutting up my own wood - bit of thin ply on top and a half a rhombus escape on opposite corners of the board (Dani uses four) they usually clear down in 12 hours, 24 hours makes sure not one remains from two or three supers.

 

[Cuckmere couple]

No - I have deeper clearer boards to help the bees go down. with timber prices they are I found that buying 'second quality' Apiguard ekes from Maisies as cheap as cutting up my own wood - bit of thin ply on top and a half a rhombus escape on opposite corners of the board (Dani uses four) they usually clear down in 12 hours, 24 hours makes sure not one remains from two or three supers.
View attachment 26552View attachment 26553

off to source the kit needed!
thanks JBM, looks great....Dani....do yours clear in 6-12 hours using 4

 

[Erichalfbee]

Certainly over night. I don’t clear in the morning to remove in the afternoon

 

[holmbee]

I use deeper boards, about 50mm depth with rhombus escapes. You tend to find the bees cluster in the additional space above the brood box as they move down. The boards also double as extra insulation in the winter when filled with building insulation board with the bee escapes removed. Like Dani I clear over night removing the supers for extraction early morning before too many "helpers" are around to make a nuisance.