New Super

[mervyn]

Is it detrimental to the Hive to put a Super on top of the Crown Board and then a Crown Board and Roof on top of that? - Will this help to keep my Brood Box Warmer and will the Bees still put Honey in the Super what do you think?

Regards

Merv

 

[Silly Bee]

I reckon it will make the hive cooler.

Why do you want to put it there, storage?

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Merv - sounds a bit OTT to me. Dont think you should be overly worried about keeping the brood box warm, unless in exceptional weather for this time of year - the bees do a pretty good job. And if the weathers that bad they aint going to be filling up with honey.

Brood box, Queen Excluder, Super (if needed), Crown board, Roof.

 

[Mike a]

Can I ask who recommend you should try this?

The only time I've done what you have written is if I want to clear a super of some stores once the cappings have been bruised so it can be taken off for Winter.

 

[MuswellMetro]

Is it detrimental to the Hive to put a Super on top of the Crown Board and then a Crown Board and Roof on top of that? - Will this help to keep my Brood Box Warmer and will the Bees still put Honey in the Super what do you think?

Regards

Merv

Merv, it is quite normal to store a spare super on top of a crown board, but the crown board is normally blocked, i keep mine blocked all summer with a pieces of 2mm ply over both porter escape holes

i only use these holes for autumn feeding and clearing bees for honey extraction not ventilation as the OMF provides enough air flow ( if on solid floors perhaps i would do it different) http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/ventilation.html

the size of the porter escape feed hole is/was designed to stop bees treating the space above it as part of the hive,

http://website.lineone.net/~dave.cushman/feedhole.html
so generelly the answer is no, but bees are bees and they will fill it but not very well

 

[oliver90owner]

No detriment to mine - well not much anyway. The crownboards are 9mm ply sheet. The only reduction of insulation would be the 25mm EPS in the roof. And they wouldn't be putting any honey in it!

If the brood needs a super, that is where to put it - on top of the brood box. If the colony is strong enough they will cope with an extra super.

If you are worried about warmth, perhaps you need to consider somthing like a Dartington which can easily be expanded sideways at this time of the year. No real bother getting to about 16 frames (14 x 12, of course) of brood and stores, before perhaps needing to go upwards.

Regards, RAB

 

[Skyhook]

If you're worried about cold nights why not BB, QE, super, crown board, 50mm kingspan?

 

[Poly Hive]

KISS.

Buy a poly.

PH

 

[enrico]

In times when nectar flow is heavy I have put a spare super on top of crown board and crown board on top of that when I wasn't sure if they would have enough room before next inspection, I have found that they will fill this super if they run short of room but it also means that they generally fill the bottom super fully (No funneling). Can be useful is some circumstances, but never done it for warmth!
E

 

[Tim1606]

Why does everybody go on about insulation? I have kept mine with just a crown board and roof and i have never had problems, even in the coldest of winters.
I am sure that naturally they would cope with whatever is thrown at them so i leave them to it.
The only time i would put a super above a crown board is for them to clean it up after extraction.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Why does everybody go on about insulation? I have kept mine with just a crown board and roof and i have never had problems, even in the coldest of winters.

Latitude and strength of colony
I lived in Teddington in a past life and the season is much longer.
Here? Wet and cold Brrrrrrrrrrrrr
Mind you, insulation has its place in the heat too.......especially with those metal Nat roofs.

 

[Tim1606]

Latitude and strength of colony
I lived in Teddington in a past life and the season is much longer.
Here? Wet and cold Brrrrrrrrrrrrr
Mind you, insulation has its place in the heat too.......especially with those metal Nat roofs.

Point taken. But as i have only lived down sarf i have never had any need. Perhaps i need to spend some time up north for a while to study the difference in beekeeping styles to get a better understanding.

 

[Haughton Honey]

1. Quite a number of commercial folk keep supers at the ready above an 'open' crown board so as not to be taken by surprise with a nectar flow. Particularly during March.

2. I don't, nor have ever, held with the 'let's add extra insulation above the crown board' point of view.

 

[Tom Bick]

This last winter I insulated above the crown board and although only one winter and only two colonies I was very pleased with the result and the strength of the two colonies coming out of the winter, so I am a devoted convert now and considering making a couple of roves with permanent insulation and no vent hole.

 

[richardbees]

Probably keeping a spare super under the roof makes sense for beeks with out apiaries but it doesn't make sense for domestic beekeepers.

I always insulate the cover/crown board.

It may be worth while pointing out that the hole in the middle of the crown / cover board is only for using a Contact feeder or fitting a Porter bee-escape......never left open for ventilation!

 

[oliver90owner]

It may be worth while pointing out that the hole in the middle of the crown / cover board is only for using a Contact feeder or fitting a Porter bee-escape......never left open for ventilation!

That will fall on stony ground! I agree entirely, apart maybe from the height of summer for those on solid floors. There are a lot out there that have been told otherwise and actally believe what they have been told, sensible or not!

If they must leave them open I would strongly suggest a piece of OMF gauze or similar is placed across the hole and allow the bees the opportunity to regulate their own top ventilation. Almost all colonies would rapidly seal it up almost entirely if not completely.

Those that do insist on leaving it open probably have the roof gauze ventilation sealed by the bees (and they are oblivious to this fact), which may lead to damp in the roof space in winter.

So new beeks -take note of what Richard says. HE IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT!!!!

RAB

 

[Jordy]

Point taken. But as i have only lived down sarf i have never had any need. Perhaps i need to spend some time up north for a while to study the difference in beekeeping styles to get a better understanding.

If you think Middlesex is "up north", anybody above watford must be keeping bees in the arctic circle by that reckoning.

 

[oliver90owner]

anybody above watford

You are presumably referring to Watford (village) at the 'Watford Gap', not that now-sprawling place nearer London?

I knew someone who claimed about 300 miles travelling costs driving from South Lincs to Watford - he went south instead of west! He was also about 4 hours late arriving!

Regards, RAB

 

[Poly Hive]

Does it not mke sense on this topic alone to give the bees some top insulation to assist them in having the right temp for comb building. Less energy involved in raising the super temperature the less honey used to build wax?

Just a thought...

PH

 

[Teemore]

To me it does PH, but then again, I have been using roofs insulated with Kingspan from the word go and my mentor is now doing the same.