When to remove lower super from the hive?

[Erichalfbee]

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To get honey and sell it. That is purpose on beekeeping.
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Yes, that's your purpose but there are others purposes for other folk .

 

[Finman]

Yes, that's your purpose but there are others purposes for other folk .

I know

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[Erichalfbee]

I know

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Why did you edit "You are kidding" to "I know" ?
I had a smart answer for the former

 

[Finman]

Why did you edit "You are kidding" to "I know" ?
I had a smart answer for the former

You are kidding

(lets look)

 

[Finman]

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To take extra box can be that difficult, that we need the basic purpose to do it.

Lack of motivation to the whole hobby.
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[Erichalfbee]

You are kidding

(lets look)

 

[BeeJayBee]

I know a few experienced beekeepers who under-super in autumn. In the Spring (when it's warm enough and when the bees are busy enough) they just switch the shallow to the top and have a brood and a half hive. It's their preferred way of keeping bees using standard nationals.

In my country, I do not know any who add space in autumn. Not a single.

But I wasn't referring to your country, I was referring to beekeepers I know who live in my part of England.

I didn't say they add space - in autumn they move the super from above the brood box to below it, and reverse the procedure in Spring. It's what a fair few beekeepers who run brood and a half nationals do, and they do it successfully.

You run Langstroth hives, in Finland. Finland is a long way from the south of England.

 

[Finman]

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Extra box in autumn of the hive has such meaning, that when you give thymol or formic acid to varroa, you must use double dosage of treatment.

My friend have saved so that she put one box dosage into 2-box hives. She did not mind to reduce the hives.

And now in 2015 Autumn, when I gove oxalic acid to hives, she had practically lost 2/3 out of 12 hives. Then in Spring she will have 16 boxes extra winter sugar from those dead hives.

3 years ago it happened the same.


Nothing good in those extra boxes. Not even in South England.

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[Finman]

But I wasn't referring to your country, I was referring to beekeepers I know who live in my part of England.
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Question is not, where you live. I only tell that the extra space has no positive meaning. It is as vain procedure as matchstick trick.

 

[oliver90owner]

BJB,

If they are running a brood and a half shirley it is an absolute waste of time, energy and stores to disturb the colony late in the season just to disrupt the bees - them having carefully and purposely put it where they wanted it in the first place?

RAB

 

[steph333]

Oliver90

I have a super under brood box at the moment would you just leave it where it is for the coming season?

Thanks
Stephen

 

[Finman]

Oliver90

I have a super under brood box at the moment would you just leave it where it is for the coming season?

Thanks
Stephen

Let it be there after all these writings.
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[jenkinsbrynmair]

Oliver90

I have a super under brood box at the moment would you just leave it where it is for the coming season?

Thanks
Stephen

depends on whether you want to run brood and a half or not - if not, get it above the brood box and a QX in the spring

 

[steph333]

Yes I will be running brood and a half (much as I admire Finman and his teachings) Probably leave it then as I am with Oliver and disturb as little as possible.thanks JBM

 

[Finman]

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When I run 2 broods in winter, they all are them in upper box in spring.
But I do not mind to collect 20 boxes off and return them 4 weeks later.

If cluster is small after winter, it is better to put into nuc box.

But it is better that colonies are in peace now.
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[pargyle]

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But it is better that colonies are in peace now.
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There's hope yet .....

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

did I just feel the earth shift on its axis?

 

[Madge]

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When I run 2 broods in winter ...
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!?

 

[Hivemaker.]

!?

It means double brood box, two boxes, like two national deeps etc.

 

[Finman]

!?

2/3 of my hives winter in 2 langstroth boxes. We say them brood boxes.

I thought that British call the brood.

To us super is honey box

Newer mind.