Extracting

[reigate]

I want to extract 2 supers. Do I have to place an empty Super below the clearer board to clear the bees into or is there another way to do this. Any advice please'

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I want to extract 2 supers. Do I have to place an empty Super below the clearer board to clear the bees into or is there another way to do this. Any advice please'

depends on the tength of the colony but I have found that an eke under the clearer board is sufficient in most cases.

 

[ShinySideUp]

This year I have a hive that has four supers on it. I had to put an empty box on and take the supers in two lots otherwise the bees would have had nowhere to go. As it is I have put two empty supers back on just for the room. I have never seen a colony so big (or so defensive -- quite a few stings).

But as JBM says, usually an eke will do the job.

 

[Erichalfbee]

This year I have a hive that has four supers on it. I had to put an empty box on and take the supers in two lots otherwise the bees would have had nowhere to go. As it is I have put two empty supers back on just for the room. I have never seen a colony so big (or so defensive -- quite a few stings).

I have one like that
They are in a 14x12 and there are still 8 frames of brood
They were a swarm that arrived in a bait hive. The queen is bright yellow. though her bees aren't. Italian?

 

[For want of a better word]

I would put another brood box on... the girls will need somewhere to put all that horrible ivy honey that they are about to collect!

Chons da

 

[Poly Hive]

I make my clearer boards with a good inch or 25mm depth built in. By that, I mean I use 25mm deep timber by the same square to run around the perimeter of the board.

When I clear off for the Winter I don't put empty supers below the clearer board as the built in space is sufficient.

PH

 

[enrico]

To be clear, the need for an eke is only to stop the clearer boards becoming blocked. It is not for the bees to reside in long term or you will get wild comb in it! Just in case you were confused!
e

 

[XYZ]

To be clear, the need for an eke is only to stop the clearer boards becoming blocked. It is not for the bees to reside in long term or you will get wild comb in it! Just in case you were confused!
e

Thank you for mentioning that. I was hesitant to ask

 

[Swarm]

My boards have a 2" x 1" frame around them, very rare are they on the hives longer than 24 hrs.

 

[SWEET]

I want to extract 2 supers. Do I have to place an empty Super below the clearer board to clear the bees into or is there another way to do this. Any advice please'

With only a couple of supers i'd shake the bees onto the BB (sunny mid-day) extract and stick them back on a few hours later.

 

[The Poot in Somerset]

I make my clearer boards with a good inch or 25mm depth built in. By that, I mean I use 25mm deep timber by the same square to run around the perimeter of the board.

When I clear off for the Winter I don't put empty supers below the clearer board as the built in space is sufficient.

PH

Same here - home made rhombus type with built in eke. They work brilliantly.

 

[The Poot in Somerset]

With only a couple of supers i'd shake the bees onto the BB (sunny mid-day) extract and stick them back on a few hours later.

I find my bees are at their "best" when I attempt to take their honey this way! I have wimped out and now always use a clearer. Less pain. Less hassle. Much quicker. Less intrusive. But definitely less pain.

 

[SWEET]

I find my bees are at their "best" when I attempt to take their honey this way! I have wimped out and now always use a clearer. Less pain. Less hassle. Much quicker. Less intrusive. But definitely less pain.

Interesting, took me 10 minutes (3 hives) yesterday to shake the bees from the supers, no stings/pain.

Hardest part was carrying the boxes to the landy ha!.