Taking Off Three Supers

[Swift Nick]

At the weekend I will be taking off three supers, leaving none, so I can extract the honey. I am going to add a 3” eke under the rhombus board, then remove the rhombus board after a day or so and start the Apiguard treatment.
So going from three supers & a 14 x 12 brood box to a 3” eke and a 14 x 12 brood box.
The hives are quite full, all of the supers have bees in, do you think the 3” eke will provide enough space? Or should I put an empty super (no frames) on as an eke?
Thanks Nick

 

[Amari]

The bees are not going to like being squashed into a much smaller place especially in this hot weather. Assuming you have no spare drawn comb a super or brood box with foundation would be better than an eke. Alternatively extract the top supers and return the wet supers below the two remaining ie two extracting sessions.

 

[Swift Nick]

Amari, thanks,

I will check the brood boxes for stores, if they have enough I will return a wet super to each hive part way through extracting. If the brood boxes are light on stores I will leave a super on below the clearing board.

If I leave a super on & want to Apiguard (super being for overwintering, marked as such), where does the Apiguard go, between the brood box and super, over the super or do you nadir the super, any thoughts?

I want to get the Apiguard done before feeding, and feeding before the Ivy, so the bees have syrup to mix with the Ivy, that’s why I am taking the supers off now.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

At the weekend I will be taking off three supers, leaving none, so I can extract the honey. I am going to add a 3” eke under the rhombus board, then remove the rhombus board after a day or so and start the Apiguard treatment.
So going from three supers & a 14 x 12 brood box to a 3” eke and a 14 x 12 brood box.
The hives are quite full, all of the supers have bees in, do you think the 3” eke will provide enough space? Or should I put an empty super (no frames) on as an eke?
Thanks Nick

Seems early to me. Apiguard mid August (ish) around these parts and later if Heather trips are involved.

 

[Cuckmere couple]

i agree John

i'm waiting to extract ours as some is still wet and its still coming in....4 more super frames drawn this week in one colony