Where should a new Super go?

[Sanctuary]

A friend who is an experienced beekeeper has told me to add an extra Super to my hive, which so far only has one. No problem, I have bought the parts and assembled it. But my friend is away on holiday, and now I'm wondering - should a new empty super go above or below the existing one?

 

[VEG]

you will get comments for both ways so up to you really. You should aim for having at least 3 supers per hive.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Either over or under - It's really up to you - there are valid arguments for each way (unless you're a bombasic old b*st*rd like Finny )

 

[lilybetbee]

you will get comments for both ways so up to you really. You should aim for having at least 3 supers per hive.

Why? (a question!)
Last year was my first year and I removed the super once capped and replaced it with fresh frames, keeping the capped frames until ready to extract.

Is there a reason to keep supers in place? Although I had more frames I only had 2 supers with each hive.

 

[VEG]

why

Because they can sometimes fill them quicker than you can get to them to extract
Also room for the bees.

 

[BeeJayBee]

Space for evaporation too?

 

[enrico]

Also as soon as you take frames off they lose heat and can crystallise. That is a good way to do it if you extract straight away or if you have somewhere warm and rodent free to keep frames, or a warming box.
I personally find that if you extract capped honey as soon as you can it seems to encourage better foraging. No proof of that though!

 

[johnandyrob]

Is the wax in the super foundation or drawn comb?

 

[MandF]

A couple of things to bear in mind;

First is that the bees will often use the middle frames of the bottom super as an extension of the brood nest below - ie leave an arc of cells empty and/or with pollen on the frames. For this reason some people tend to leave the bottom super in place until extraction.

Second, if you are adding a super of just foundation I would definitely put this above the existing super, however I like to alternate a few frames of foundation in the bottom super, and move the drawn frames into the second super. Not only do the bees tend to draw frames of foundation between existing drawn frames, but the used frames in the second super will also encourage the bees up there and start drawing/using it.

 

[itma]

Is the wax in the super foundation or drawn comb?

For a brand new box, I'd expect it to be foundation.

And I'd expect it to be drawn quickest directly above the brood.

Not possible in this situation, but brand new boxes can usefully be put under the brood for a few weeks to at least get the newness out of them and make them more 'friendly' as far as the bees are concerned!

The fewer hives you have, the greater % cover you need as spares. You have to be catering for the worst case scenario on 100% of your hives if you only have one hive ...

 

[lilybetbee]

I just kept re-arranging frames to get them all drawn out (in the super, not the brood box), so it's good to have some drawn comb in this second season.

 

[Finman]

Either over or under - It's really up to you - there are valid arguments for each way (unless you're a bombasic old baastard like Finny )

I do not know. My bees make 3 first boxes full of brood and then they start to think what to do with extra honey.

I have never seen a hive which make first a brood box and then they start to fill honey boxes.
.

 

[Swarm]

If using wireless frames for cut comb, put them on top so there is less traffic and the cappings stay clean.

 

[Graham40]

I agree with whats been said.

Bees like building up in a column, middle frames will be filled out first then they spread out, I would mix the undrawn foundation with the sealed or drawn comb, at least four drawn combs on the bottom supper, these are better uncapped from the outside of the existing super, it gives them something to work with when they are drawing out comb.