Move super tomorrow from below to above BB

[Etton]

Forecast to be 13c here tomorrow. Thinking of moving my nadired supers from below BB to above. Or should I wait? If I do should I put in a QE or leave and put in when doing my first proper bee inspection, when I will be looking for the Q and to mark her?

 

[peteinwilts]

Patience!

Moving the super without a qx will encourage hm to lay in the super.

Moving the super with a qx will introduce a large space above her.

Wait until we get some more reasonable and consistant temperatures

 

[Erichalfbee]

I have taken my nadired supers away as early as mid March. I just take them away and put them back when the bees are making honey. For me, it is far too early to be putting all that empty space above.

 

[Finman]

.
Look first how big the colony is. How much it needs room. Hos many frames it occupyes.
.Take extra space off and add then when the colony starts to expand.

 

[Poly Hive]

I super on 8 frames of brood or more.

How many are there now? I would expect two to four give or take the location.

As said.

Patience.

PH

 

[Etton]

My one question has turned into two. One should I move the super wintered below BB to above BB or two just remove BB altogether. . My hives are not strong 2 Latisha swarms from last year and a split so I think best to remove dupers all together. I can be patient but isn't tomorrow at 13c and sunny here in East Yorks a good time to do it?

 

[madasafish]

My one question has turned into two. One should I move the super wintered below BB to above BB or two just remove BB altogether. . My hives are not strong 2 Latisha swarms from last year and a split so I think best to remove dupers all together. I can be patient but isn't tomorrow at 13c and sunny here in East Yorks a good time to do it?

I asked myself the same question yesterday.
And replied to myself - at 6am today - wait until April. I have two strong colonies which might be ready early April.

 

[Etton]

I asked myself the same question yesterday.
And replied to myself - at 6am today - wait until April. I have two strong colonies which might be ready early April.

By waiting 3 weeks to April won't the Q be laying eggs in the super (below the bb) so all the more reason to remove asap, if weather warm enough?

 

[Gilberdyke John]

My one question has turned into two. One should I move the super wintered below BB to above BB or two just remove BB altogether. . My hives are not strong 2 Latisha swarms from last year and a split so I think best to remove dupers all together. I can be patient but isn't tomorrow at 13c and sunny here in East Yorks a good time to do it?

You're not far from me so weather will be similar hence I would suggest you observe the level of activity at the entrance until you feel the colony is expanding. Then simply remove the nadired super to store it until required when honey production warrants its use. Don't disturb the bees in the brood box just yet. The likelihood is the nadired box contains only empty comb at the moment. However do check for bees on the frames and send any strays home to the brood box.

 

[kevrhcfag]

Nothing wrong in looking, however if they aren't strong and supers are empty take them off completely, should be more than enough room for stores / feed and queen to lay in BB.

Question is if the colonies weren't strong why were they left, big space weak colony through winter is not a great idea, lucky we've had no winter really.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

My one question has turned into two. One should I move the super wintered below BB to above BB or two just remove BB altogether. . My hives are not strong 2 Latisha swarms from last year and a split so I think best to remove dupers all together. I can be patient but isn't tomorrow at 13c and sunny here in East Yorks a good time to do it?

Nothing wrong in looking, however if they aren't strong and supers are empty take them off completely, should be more than enough room for stores / feed and queen to lay in BB.

Question is if the colonies weren't strong why were they left, big space weak colony through winter is not a great idea, lucky we've had no winter really.

Etton made a judgement call before the onset of winter. It worked out ok.
The extra space before winter contained food and being under the brood box wouldn't have had an adverse effect on the colony which would have moved up into the warmest part of the hive.
Having the extra box underneath would actually have helped by restricting and vortex or eddy currents of cold air if strong winds blew across the underside of the omf.

 

[Etton]

You're not far from me so weather will be similar hence I would suggest you observe the level of activity at the entrance until you feel the colony is expanding. Then simply remove the nadired super to store it until required when honey production warrants its use. Don't disturb the bees in the brood box just yet. The likelihood is the nadired box contains only empty comb at the moment. However do check for bees on the frames and send any strays home to the brood box.

Thanks for all advice. Decided to wait until April for all reasons given.

 

[oliver90owner]

Nooo! You do not specifically 'wait until April'. You observe and make any changes as and when required. It may be before April or it may not. Anyone could keep bees if the dates of operations were set in stone. The measure of a beekeeper is of knowing when changes are needed.

And, btw, if the box is below the brood box, if cannot be called a 'super'. Simple definition by the english language. Super, in this context, means 'above, does it not?'

 

[madasafish]

By waiting 3 weeks to April won't the Q be laying eggs in the super (below the bb) so all the more reason to remove asap, if weather warm enough?

If they get so strong by then # , I'll be delighted and move the supers up before then.
# means very warm weather and an unseasonably early nectar flow...NO arable land here.. just trees and gardens and hedgerows.

Edit As I am on jumbo langs, it is unlikely.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Edit As I am on jumbo langs,

How do you find those madasafish?I mean do you like them and do your bees?
Are they wood or poly?

 

[Amari]

How do you find those madasafish?I mean do you like them and do your bees?
Are they wood or poly?

I learnt my beekeeping at Hampshire Agricultural College, Sparsholt, 1972. Theory classes alternated with making our own Jumbo Langs in the college workshop.
In those days I was lithe, young and virile . Now I'm the opposite in all dimensions.
No way I could handle jumbo langs now - would bring on multiple ruptures.

 

[madasafish]

How do you find those madasafish?I mean do you like them and do your bees?
Are they wood or poly?

I have 1x poly (MB) and 7 x wood with cosies.

Normally I find by June they are wall to wall bees/brood and just fill the bottom of the frames. So ideal. I hate moving brood boxes in summer so OK.

When full of bees they are quite heavy c 40KG - so I tend to move horizontally to another stand. rather than vertically . Most are on double stands with a space in the middle for that eventuality

I like them - not as fiddly as Nats imo. My (manual) extractor will extract them.. which is a consideration!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes the weight is a huge issue.
How about double brood on shallower boxes?

 

[REDWOOD]

I don't do the super up and down thingy but if the queen needs more room they get a box below.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

 

[madasafish]

Yes the weight is a huge issue.
How about double brood on shallower boxes?

An abomination in my view..