Several bumper hives, bumper crops, recycling supers

[JonnyPicklechin]

I'm taking several supers off of very big (for me) hives (2B,3S) and have run out of supers to replace the ones I am stacking ready for extracting.

I usually let the bees clean up wet supers by separating them by an eke with a small crown hole entrance. I am concerned that without adequate room the big hives might swarm...

Can I just go ahead and add wet supers as functioning supers ie part of the hive as usual? Will they just clean and then reuse?

 

[Ian123]

Yes go ahead

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Can I just go ahead and add wet supers as functioning supers ie part of the hive as usual

yes, personally all this faff with giving them back for the bees to 'clean out' is a bit of nonsense

 

[JonnyPicklechin]

I did wonder...cheers chaps

 

[Ian123]

Get them back on asap though……same day would be good

 

[JonnyPicklechin]

ive got one on 3 supers that is down to two now but a flow still on...have i presented a significant swarm risk by reducing size on a big hive?

 

[Ian123]

If you’ve condensed a big hive down there’s always a risk of swarming, get them back on as soon as and you should be fine.