Drilling holes in supers

[beesrus]

Hi,
My book (David Cramp) says that you can increase honey stores by drilling a 10mm hole in each of your supers to allow easy coming and going by the bees? Is this something anyone does and are there potential drawbacks to this?

Thanks

Marc

 

[Poly Hive]

No and robbing.

It is not a common practice in the UK though it is used in the States. However lets consider my ever present drum here namely climate.

PH

 

[keithgrimes]

David Cramp is a commercial beekeeper (4000 hives) and lives in New Zealand. Maybe his suggestion should be viewed in that perspective. I've certainly never come across anyone in the UK who does it. I guess it would work, but as the post above says, it would make the colony more vulnerable to robbing, with more than one entrance to guard.

 

[crazy_bull]

I have a few supers that have holes in either due to woodpecks or knots falling out or just crap joints, the bee's use them like crazy during a flow, but in a couple of weeks all the holes will be taped up before the wasps start and before the robbing season starts.

Please note these are 'naturally occuring holes' not ones i purposfully put in.

I wouldn't recommend drilling any holes in supers for the reasons already stated above.

And yes duck tape is my friend i carry it everywhere and in a few weeks my hive will look a complete mess with bits stuck all over them, but better that than loosing bees and honey to wasps and robbing.


C B

 

[beesrus]

Excellent, thanks all - that clears that up.

BTW - not overly impressed with the book either.

 

[steve1958]

This is something we are actualy considering doing.
The plan being to make the hole the same size as a cork
so we can open or close it as the situation arises.