Onto the next problem

[kazmcc]

Do any of you have any ideas? I stuck that super on today, the frames came yesterday so it was the quickest I could do it. Anyway, I put the loaded super on top of the fresh super. Thing is the weight was a problem. Any tricks you lot know of for lifting supers? It's not that I can't lift it, it's just that it's having to go too high now that's the problem. I can see my foot being hit by a super of honey and bees at some point if I don't solve this.

I have asked around some of my male friends, see if they can help, but I'm just met with horrified excuses lol. Bunch of wimps

Could someone explain why before they went Q- they were snappers, but when they lost the Q they turned pleasant? It's just now they have brood again they are moody again. I'm hoping the new queens offspring put a stop to that. There are a lot of bees, and have been an absolute pleasure to deal with while Q-. Today was a bit of a nightmare.

 

[Polyanwood]

Hello Kaz
I am now lifting full Langstroth supers above my eye level and I agree it is really hard to do it on your own. I also think it is a bit dangerous. I had been thinking of removing the hive stands to make it easier. I do tend to rest the super on my thighs, belly or under my chin before I lift it onto the stack if it is full and I am on my own, because otherwise it really hurts my back.

Regarding moodiness of bees - this will be affected by lots of things; the flow, the weather, whether you suit is clean, whether there are jaspers about or robbers. Take some time watching the hive entrance to see whether it helps you come up with a hypothesis.... as you say the genetics of the colony haven't changed yet.

 

[Skyhook]

Hi Kaz

Try taking a spare empty super with you (or a nuc box). Use this to move a few frames into this before lifting the super with the remaining frames.

 

[Swarm]

How much of a nightmare? Flying up from the seams and nutting you? Could be getting a bit defensive of their stores. I've always found the bees to be a bit more lively when they have honey on.
Supering sounds like your biggest problem, imagine that heavy super as your 4th or 5th that you are going to clear. Worse still, trying to replace, carefully, without squashing bees. Yup, it's heavy work.
And your predicament would be much easier with a 3rd so you could keep rotating, not going above two before extracting.
I can't quite grasp that they don't see you struggling to make a silk purse from a sow's ear.
Another option would be removing a few frames at a time and replacing with fresh ones. Again, not much help to you.

 

[kazmcc]

Thank you. Maybe that's what we need to do, as I am only slight, and the teacher I do it with can't even lift the super anyway ( I'm stronger than I look lol ) I had to hoist it upwith my leg to get it high enough and hold it from the bottom of the box, now if I got stung at that point, box would have gone airbourne lol. I always make sure there is at least someone watching to get help if necessary, but they aren't beekeepers, just parents I drag along lol.

So, would there be any issue with it being off the stand? I imagine the OMF would get blocked, so if I put it on 4 bricks would that be ok?

There was a storm in the air today, but it was fine the other day and they were the same. Behaving as they did before they became Q-. The whole time they were Q- they didn't pose a problem once. I thought they were supposed to be fearsome when Q-. Oh, and they've glued EVERYTHING!! But I imagine they had too much time on their hands and that will stop now there is brood to look after, as they never did this before.

Bees. Who'd have 'em hey?

 

[Tom Bick]

Lots of factors this time of year. I don’t know about Manchester but in the South East plenty of showers around so I assume from what I can remember Manchester wetter?

 

[nonstandard]

Hi Kaz,

You could try to source a couple of milk crates or similar to make a platform to stand on and have a high stand or B&D workmate (other workbenches are available) to put the supers on so you don't have to bend so far.

 

[kazmcc]

How much of a nightmare? Flying up from the seams and nutting you? Could be getting a bit defensive of their stores. I've always found the bees to be a bit more lively when they have honey on.
Supering sounds like your biggest problem, imagine that heavy super as your 4th or 5th that you are going to clear. Worse still, trying to replace, carefully, without squashing bees. Yup, it's heavy work.
And your predicament would be much easier with a 3rd so you could keep rotating, not going above two before extracting.
I can't quite grasp that they don't see you struggling to make a silk purse from a sow's ear.
Another option would beremoving afew frames at a time and replacing with fresh ones. Again, not much help to you.

Just a few stripey bullets bouncing off my veil, very noisy, and following a little bit. Nothing I can't handle but I'd prefer not to have to.

I did consider removing frames before lifting but imagine that's a bit of a faff.

I have now passed my grumbles on to the teacher who assists, and she agrees and is getting a bit annoyed too. I think there was a lot of dancing around peoples feelings, but now I'm past that stage and want it sorting. I've only been asking since January for this to be sorted out as I knew this day would come. We'll see what happens now. The head reckons we should just do it ourselves and if the other person won't/can't make meetings, then just skip her out. School are helping with costs of bottling, so that's a weight off my mind at least.

 

[kazmcc]

Lots of factors this time of year. I don’t know about Manchester but in the South East plenty of showers around so I assume from what I can remember Manchester wetter?

Yes, there was a storm brewing, but it isn't a one off. I've had reason to go in 3 times since she started laying. not removing frames or anything, but removing the lid, and all three times they lost the plot on me sort of. Lol. Who'd have thought I'd be calmly talking about angry bees pelting me this time last year?

 

[Hivemaker.]

Why don't you try the half supers, Tom Bick makes and sells them,maybe another option for you Kaz.

 

[kazmcc]

Why don't you try the half supers, Tom Bick makes and sells them,maybe another option for you Kaz.

I didn't know they did them. Thanks Hivemaker, i'll check them out

 

[Tom Bick]

Why don't you try the half supers, Tom Bick makes and sells them,maybe another option for you Kaz.

Shoot my self in the foot but I often advise people to simply cut an existing super in half.

Remember to reduce by the thickness of material you attach to the now two halves so as to finish 460mm when both halves are placed on the hive and depending on the beespace either top or bottom respect that down the centre joint and then you have half supers, they are not perfect but half the weight of a full super.

 

[Frisbee]

I just extract more often......

But Nonstandard's idea is also sound, if you have a highish table nearby to put the heavy supers on then you are not lifting them from the ground and that makes things a lot easier.

Frisbee

 

[Storm™]

Hi Kaz

This is an old trick and some may frown but anyway here it is. When working in a farm shop years ago the owner would arrive fresh from the London markets loaded with various veg etc. We would begin unloading the lorries. We would always start with the bags of spuds. 200 or more. The last thing we unloaded was huge crates of huge colliflowers. They did however weigh less than the spuds per bag. This was all done by hand.

I swear by the time we got to the collies I could lift the crate with one finger and heft it over my head. It's because the muscles had enlarged and prepared for the weight of spuds. It was quite funny and felt a little odd. So just find something heavier than the super and lift it for a few minutes at arms length and then the super will feel like a pillow.

Sounds rubbish but it does work. Good luck.

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Kaz - Dont know if you have a spare empty super/brood box/nuc, but why not take that with you and use it to temporarily hold frames while you lift and manoeuvre the high supers.

 

[Cazza]

Hi Kaz
I had back trouble this year so I now use a little trolley, put the roof on that, then a spare super or two. Then I'm only moving sideways, rather than up or down. Much easier.
Cazza

 

[Alabamaeee]

Kaz,

Supers as you have found out are heavy when full of honey!

You do not say what the stand height is to begin with, which could be a factor. My mentor told me to buid the stands no higher than 15 inches.

A friend whom I imagine is about your size manages the supers OK, but she has the stands about 8 inches off the ground, and never puts more than 2 supers on. She extracts more often, but I don't think that would be a problem for you, as you are always keen to work with the hive anyway.

Probably too late now after reading your tale of woe regarding funding but you can buy Poly supers for about 16 quid from a supplier in Wales. They are well made and so much lighter, and I am testing two at the moment. I have about 100 yds to walk with full supers and a bad back, so will be interesting to see what difference they make.

I agree with the other posters. Get something strong and about the waist height to set the supers on when manipulating.

Another tip for replacing them. When you set the super back on the hive it needs lined up with the brood box. The easiest way is to put your fingers on two opposite corners of the box which allows you to line up the box both ways at once.

 

[oliver90owner]

Half supers are good if 'weight challenged'.

Personally I use mine (from the Dartingtons) elsewhere. They are a pain (for me) because the bees will often run up the outside of the first one fitted, making setting the second in position a bee-crushing exercise.

The Dartington ones were made of thin ply (so have a small 'bow' in the sides). Proper wood would be better perhaps, but still not for me.

RAB

 

[newportbuzz]

ohh i give up i cant get the photo to load up

search on google images for "warre hive lifter"
its the first result.
you might be able to modify this idea to help yourself.

 

[garethbryson]

Thank you. Maybe that's what we need to do, as I am only slight, and the teacher I do it with can't even lift the super anyway ( I'm stronger than I look lol ) I had to hoist it upwith my leg to get it high enough and hold it from the bottom of the box, now if I got stung at that point, box would have gone airbourne lol. I always make sure there is at least someone watching to get help if necessary, but they aren't beekeepers, just parents I drag along lol.

So, would there be any issue with it being off the stand? I imagine the OMF would get blocked, so if I put it on 4 bricks would that be ok?

There was a storm in the air today, but it was fine the other day and they were the same. Behaving as they did before they became Q-. The whole time they were Q- they didn't pose a problem once. I thought they were supposed to be fearsome when Q-. Oh, and they've glued EVERYTHING!! But I imagine they had too much time on their hands and that will stop now there is brood to look after, as they never did this before.

Bees. Who'd have 'em hey?

Sorry but i just couldnt resist!!!