How high can you stack supers?

[melias]

I have a colony with five full supers and I can easily see it needing 7 or more before the season is over.
Any disadvantages to stacking them to this height?


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[VEG]

I have a colony with five full supers and I can easily see it needing 7 or more before the season is over.
Any disadvantages to stacking them to this height?

Yep doing your back in lifting them off. If they are full why leave them on?

 

[alldigging]

Full and capped or just full?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I have a colony with five full supers and I can easily see it needing 7 or more before the season is over.
Any disadvantages to stacking them to this height?

getting them down again is biggest problem - had one here at Brynmair which was seven high (one being a brood box which they filled with stores) took three ripe ones off for extraction - and put one back on today! Had to stand on a packing case to get the roof off

 

[melias]

They're 80% capped. Wanted to avoid having to do an interim harvest, though I suppose I could just store the filled supers somewhere.

 

[Hawklord]

How about clearing some and putting them on other colonys？

 

[jd101k2000]

Just another thought... each of those filled supers weighs about 30lb (25lb of lovely honey + 5lb for the super).

How strong is your hive stand?

(I write this as I have looked at my wooden double-hive stand and realised that it could be supporting 480lb)

 

[Erichalfbee]

80% capped should be OK to spin off.
I have a six stack and husband is mumbling about strengthening the stand over winter.
Looking at it today so hopefully can take one or two off.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Just another thought... each of those filled supers weighs about 30lb (25lb of lovely honey + 5lb for the super).

I'd think again this year - did a quick check when I was extracting Thursday and the average weight of frames and capped honey with my lot was 3 lb 14 oz making a total of 38 lb 12 oz plus the weight of the box!

 

[Erichalfbee]

I have one poly with six supers and from this morning a deep clearer board with a new super to clear into underneath. The whole edifice is a little wobbly!!!!!

 

[Pman]

Biggest problem I see is the base giving out under the weight, I have seen pallets crush under the weight of a hive before

 

[Swarm]

Pot blocks with solid beams to put the hives on. No wobbling at all.

 

[BeeBus]

80% capped, get it off and spun, you aint got a harvest till its int shed

 

[YorkshireBees]

Good question, due to work commitments and the amazing flow that's on at the moment I have just about run out of supers!!
They are at least starting to cap in some so as soon as I can manage I will be extracting!

 

[fincaazul]

Good question, due to work commitments and the amazing flow that's on at the moment I have just about run out of supers!!
They are at least starting to cap in some so as soon as I can manage I will be extracting!

All sealed frames should be removed to make up supers of fully sealed frames. these are taken away from hive for extraction whenever. You only need supers on the hive that you hope will be filled. Energy, and reduction of crop results when fully sealed supers are left on. More for them to keep warm to maintain hive temperature. When I want to extract I put supers of sealed frames above closed off crownboard for a few days so that hive heat will warm them and make extraction easier

 

[Hawklord]

The sooner it's taken off the sooner it can be sold. If you havent got any to sell your customers may be going elsewhere.

 

[Hombre]

If necessary, use a sheet of newspaper and unite the super with a colony that hasn't got quite as many boxes on. Same or different hive stand.

 

[YorkshireBees]

All sealed frames should be removed to make up supers of fully sealed frames. these are taken away from hive for extraction whenever. You only need supers on the hive that you hope will be filled. Energy, and reduction of crop results when fully sealed supers are left on. More for them to keep warm to maintain hive temperature. When I want to extract I put supers of sealed frames above closed off crownboard for a few days so that hive heat will warm them and make extraction easier

That's just the problem there ARE NO sealed supers yet, they have just started to cap. The 6 super hive has 5 full supers and I just added the 6th on the bottom. They are bringing in nectar like no other year I have experienced so far!

Also all of the supers are full of bees as they are really strong colonies so keeping it warm should not be a problem!

The sooner it's taken off the sooner it can be sold. If you havent got any to sell your customers may be going elsewhere.

That's not a problem for me, I have enough stock.

If necessary, use a sheet of newspaper and unite the super with a colony that hasn't got quite as many boxes on. Same or different hive stand.

No really an option for me as most hives already have 3-4 supers on and the ones that don't are building up after swarming and don't have the number of bees to deal with more supers.

 

[rockdoc]

I take mine off as soon as they are ready. I find half the fun of this hobby is getting different honey during the harvest season. So my advise would be spin away and put them back on.

 

[iand]

I take mine off as soon as they are ready. I find half the fun of this hobby is getting different honey during the harvest season. So my advise would be spin away and put them back on.

When borage 1st arrived, I only had 3 supers for each hive (after early season splits etc), they were filling a super a week. It was a case of 2 on the hive (1 empty - 1 finishing off) & a full one in the car for extracting. To far away for nipping out with a box as well.