Not drawing supers

[SunnyRaes]

Despite the fact that there are bees in there, our bees don't seem to be drawing the top supers on the hives, despite the fact lower supers appear full.

Any reason? Any way of encouraging them?

 

[Finman]

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First rule in beekeeping:
Put the empty super between brood and present supers.

If you want them swarm, do exactly that way and do not look every week into brood what is going there.

If first super is full, brood frames must be full too.

If they do not draw foundations, it is a sign of swarming intentions.

 

[SunnyRaes]

Cheers Finman!

Interestingly, the other half had been told differently... She was told that the first super should be left, as that's the one that the bees will walk through, will get grubby, and should be left at the end of the season. Though I guess it depends on how much of a crop you want and how much you intend on leaving the bees!

 

[Queens59]

Take a couple of edge frames from a full super (replace with foundation) and move them up - sometimes the smell is enough to pull them up

 

[itma]

Cheers Finman!

Interestingly, the other half had been told differently... She was told that the first super should be left, as that's the one that the bees will walk through, will get grubby, and should be left at the end of the season. Though I guess it depends on how much of a crop you want and how much you intend on leaving the bees!

You can over-super (if you fancy) when you have drawn comb to put on.
But for foundation, best to under-super like Finman says.

 

[Vramin]

She was told that the first super should be left, as that's the one that the bees will walk through, will get grubby, and should be left at the end of the season. !

Well, they will only walk through it if you add supers on top. If you move it up and add super directly above brood box then nothing gets grubby.

 

[Finman]

Cheers Finman!

Interestingly, the other half had been told differently... She was told that the first super should be left, as that's the one that the bees will walk through, will get grubby, and should be left at the end of the season. Though I guess it depends on how much of a crop you want and how much you intend on leaving the bees!

Not according my 51 years as a beekeeper. But do as you like. They are your bees.

Tell me more and I listen fresh ideas!

I want 60-80 kg per hive an average. 150 kg is nice from best hives.
I leave into hive about 5 kg, what they have in brood frames. I feed them with sugar.

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[Finman]

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Another half? Most guys do not know what they talk.

Bees' natural instincs are so that they fill the frames from up to down. They cap the honey from up to down.

When you harvest capped honey, you take a capped box and return it after extracting above the brood box.

Bees need 3 super box to get one capped box. They need space where to dry up the nectar.They slow down foraging if they have not space to handle the yield.

Let's say, if I get 90 kg honey from one hive, it is 6 medium boxes. - What idea it would be to add a new box over the tower? It is not rare to get 120 kg and it is 8 boxes.

What idea is to limit yield to 40 kg if you can get 80 kg?

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[SunnyRaes]

Not according my 51 years as a beekeeper. But do as you like. They are your bees.

Tell me more and I listen fresh ideas!

I want 60-80 kg per hive an average. 150 kg is nice from best hives.
I leave into hive about 5 kg, what they have in brood frames. I feed them with sugar.

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Don't worry Finman, not criticising your advice, and we'll be doing as we like by following your advice, as their advice obviously isn't working!

 

[Cazza]

Interestingly, the other half had been told differently... She was told that the first super should be left, as that's the one that the bees will walk through, will get grubby, and should be left at the end of the season. QUOTE]

Well that with respect, is a load of old tut.
Cazza

 

[YorkshireBees]

Interestingly, the other half had been told differently... She was told that the first super should be left, as that's the one that the bees will walk through, will get grubby, and should be left at the end of the season. QUOTE]

Well that with respect, is a load of old tut.
Cazza

Actually it does make sense that if the bottom super is full and capped and new supers are placed above then the bees will have to walk through the 1st super and yes the cappings will not be as white.
But really that does not matter unless you are showing the frame of capped honey or using it to produce cut comb!

In terms of drawing supers I tend to mix drawn frames with foundation to encourage them into the supers.

 

[Cazza]

Actually it does make sense that if the bottom super is full and capped and new supers are placed above then the bees will have to walk through the 1st super and yes the cappings will not be as white.
But really that does not matter unless you are showing the frame of capped honey or using it to produce cut comb!

In terms of drawing supers I tend to mix drawn frames with foundation to encourage them into the supers.

I meant the bit about leaving it at the bottom all season, not the grubby bit.
Cazza

 

[Finman]

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Some days ago I put foundations on big hives. There is a huge flow on turnip rape field.

I put half box foundations and half box partly filled combs.

I thought that foundation box may make an empty gap between honey and brood boxes. Old combs make a bridge over foundations. Later I put them in order. Nectar frames and empty frames above brood and most filled on the top.

Some supers have boath brood and capped honey. Those I move topmost. When brood emerge, bees fill the cells at once with honey.

Those hives have 5 supers

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