Honey Super – Page 5 – Wise Beekeeping

Beekeeping Honey Supers and Their Description Besides collecting nectar, beekeepers also add additional boxes to their hives. These additional boxes are known as supers. They can be of any shape or size. Medium boxes are most often used for whole hives, while deep boxes are typically used for honey storage. Here are some common types of supers and their description. Let's see what makes them so special. Listed below are some of the benefits of supers. Royal jelly is a beekeeping honey super The queen bee has a very special diet that includes royal jelly, a protein-rich milky white secretion. Besides sustaining the hive, royal jelly helps combat a variety of chronic conditions. As an added benefit, royal jelly is a highly profitable remedy for humans. While most beekeepers only use royal jelly to feed their hives, there are a few ways to harvest this valuable substance for human consumption. In order to harvest royal jelly from bees, the first step in beekeeping is to locate colonies that do not have a queen. In this case, a beekeeper can create a fake queen cell containing an egg of honey bees. The beekeeper will then wait for the hive to develop until the egg is fully developed. When the beekeeper returns at the correct larval development stage, he will take out the royal jelly from the cup. The honeycomb is made of hexagonal cavities that are used to hold nectar. This honey is then placed in cells. In addition to nectar, this material also contains royal jelly. When the bees are satisfied with the honey they find, they return to the hive. Once the cells are full, the beekeeper can collect the honey in about two to three weeks. Honey collecting weather is optimal during sunny days. While the Queen Excluder is the most commonly used part of the beehive, the honey super is used above the Queen Excluder. Among its many uses, royal jelly is a highly nutritious glandular secretion that helps feed the young brood. A honey super is one of the most important components of a beehive. There are a few other reasons for beekeeping. The queen bee uses royal jelly as food. Not only is royal jelly high in protein, but it is also rich in minerals. The queen is thought to live up to 10 times longer than she would without the royal jelly. The queen also lays over her body weight in eggs every day. These benefits of royal jelly are worth noting. It may also prevent the aging process. This superfood has been used for centuries in traditional medicine and as a nutraceutical. Foundation is made from wax A beekeeping honey super foundation is usually made of wax. Beekeepers often apply extra layers of wax to plastic foundations. This is done in theory to attract more bees. However, too much wax can degrade the quality of the wax coat. To avoid this problem, it is best to use a high-quality foundation made of 100% beeswax. To learn how to properly choose a beekeeping honey super foundation, keep these tips in mind: Beekeepers can choose between two types of foundations: wired and non-wired. Wired foundations require a wedge-top frame, and should smell of beeswax. Wire-free foundations are a better choice because they don't contain wires or chemicals. Foundation-free honey supers can also be made from plastic or glass. Wax foundations are ideal for commercial beekeeping operations because they reduce costs and reduce the need for chemicals. Bees won't build a foundation in winter or late fall because they are not strong enough. If it is too cold, it may crack, or rip. It's best to buy a foundation with a worker-sized cell embossed in it. However, if you are not sure which foundation to purchase, try a sample before purchasing one. Moreover, beekeepers don't mind if their bees aren't completely satisfied with their super foundation. The older your bees are, the more likely they are to produce wax. The older bees will not produce honey as well as their younger sisters. Beekeepers should try to select colonies with a high percentage of beeswax in their hive. As a result, a strong colony will be more productive and build a honeycomb quicker. If you are new to beekeeping, you may have no completed frames of comb. If this happens, you will need to install a beeswax foundation. The foundation for a beekeeping honey super is composed of wax. The thickness of wax depends on how thick you want it to be. It's usually about a half-inch thick and a third-inch thick. If you want the super to be thicker than that, you can add additional layers of wax. A thicker foundation will be more durable and more resistant to tearing. Wax with wire While storage is not a big issue for foundation-less frames, it can be a little more challenging when the frame has drawn comb. Beekeepers should develop a plan to store their equipment properly, and learn how to properly store their drawn-comb frames. Beekeeping honey supers with wax and wire should be at the top of their list! Learn more about these essential equipments to keep your hives happy! The cellular foundation is made of thin sheets of beeswax. When the comb is removed from the frame, the honey is creamed. Creamed honey contains small crystals. Starters can help control crystallization and prevent the honey from crystallizing. A crimp-wired foundation is designed with crimp wire embedded in it, increasing its strength. Both options have advantages. The inner wooden cover rests on top of the uppermost honey super. It features a hole in the middle to access the hive's exterior. There are several types of outer hive covers. Each of these covers protects the hive from cold, rain, or sun. A wooden frame is a good choice if you have access to standard-sized lumber. A plastic box may not be as attractive as the wooden ones, but it is the cheapest way to keep your hives in good condition. If the colony has fewer than ten frames of comb, you may wish to add a super above the top one. The honey produced from capped brood is brown and tan in color. A good queen should have at least five or six frames of brood. The eggs should be laid in a solid pattern with few skips. Look for signs of wax moth larvae and brood disease. A smoker is a device for subduing bees and producing a cool smoke. It can also help smaller colonies keep their brood warm. A solar wax melter is another useful device to use. This glass-covered insulated box melts wax from cappings. A spur embedder embeds the wires into the foundation. If you are attempting to remove the cappings from your honey super, it is important to use a smokeer. Plastic The comb foundation is composed of thin sheets of beeswax imprinted with worker-sized cells. These foundations are of two basic types, depending on their relative thickness. The thin surplus foundation produces section comb honey, or chunk honey. The thicker foundation is used in brood chambers and frames that extract honey. These foundations are reinforced with metal edges, nylon threads, or vertically embedded wires. Both types of beekeeping supers can be used with either wooden or plastic frames. Some beekeepers use eight or nine frames in their honey supers, while others use all ten. The difference is that a nine-frame honey super has wider combs that are easier to uncap. A nine-frame super has a frame spacer tool to create the perfect spacing between frames. This tool can also be used for an eight-frame super. This tool will keep the comb separated and easy to handle. Standard ten-frame hive bodies are available in four common heights and depths. A full-depth hive body measures 9 5/8 inches in height. These hives are best used for brood rearing because they offer ample space and minimal interruption to the brood area. Honey supers can be placed inside these boxes. But beware: these hives are very heavy when full and require special handling. Once a beekeeping super is full, it is time to harvest the honey. Make sure to leave enough for the bees to survive winter. The maximum harvest of honey depends on the area where you live. It should be about 50 pounds per colony. Then, you must cure and cap the honey. The frames should be covered to at least 80%. The last major nectar flow is the best time to harvest honey. Honey supers come in three sizes, and are approximately the same width as a standard honey box. The deep super is about 90 pounds, while a medium super is only 60 pounds. The difference in weight will save your back and joints. A medium-sized honey super will provide the ideal amount of space for your hive. But be sure to check the height before putting it in the hive. Inspecting a honey super is not as important as examining the brood boxes.