The Amount of Honey in a Super
A lot depends on environmental factors to determine how much honey bees will produce. During the nectar flow, for example, bees will work very hard to fill the honey super. At their fastest, the bees can fill a super in just a few days. In a normal flow, it may take from a week to two weeks to complete the production. But, beekeeping experts recommend that you have at least one honey super.
Beekeeping honey supers
A beekeeper should consider the height of the beekeeping honey super when determining how many to use. The height of the super will depend on the amount of nectar and the strength of the bees during the flow. Bees can’t fly when it’s too hot or too wet. A medium super is the most common type of beekeeping honey super, and is usually made from medium-sized wood frames.
Adding a super underneath the brood box is called nadiring. This technique has its benefits, but it’s not as effective as a full super. In contrast, adding a super from the bottom is thought to be better for honey yield because it reduces the distance the bees must fly to reach the honey. It’s also easier to manage the hive by adding another super to it at the bottom.
Some beekeepers use nine or even all 10 frames for their beekeeping honey super. While a single box may be enough for a small colony to reach peak flow, heavy Chinese tallow areas may require multiple supers. There’s also some debate over how much honey each method can yield. Generally, people who have hundreds or even thousands of hives prefer to use the top method.
80% rule
The 80% rule for honey in a bebekeeping super refers to the cap rate of honey in a hive. When a hive is at this level, 80% of its combs are plugged. If there is less than 80% cap, the hive is not ready for harvest. Harvesting too early can stunt future honey production and cause the bees to stop producing.
In June, most colonies are large and developed into decent colonies. If they swarmed, they have most likely reformed and are producing honey. If the swarm was interrupted by queen replacement, they may have gone on to build up a decent colony. By now, the emphasis in beekeeping has shifted to adding honey supers and spring buildup. You may want to consider asking advice from local beekeepers or agricultural agencies.
The 80% rule applies to both brood supers. A super with 80% capped honey is sufficient for the winter needs of a colony. However, be sure to harvest enough honey for the winter. Honey production in a beekeeping honey super depends on your area. Some states require 50 pounds of honey from a single colony. If your colony is not producing 50 pounds of honey per year, it won’t survive the winter.
If your hive is strong and has ample space, it is usually possible to fill two supers within two weeks. Nevertheless, if you do not plan to check your hives often, you should consider adding another super when the previous one is only half-to-two thirds full. In this way, your colony will not become unorganized and less productive. Moreover, you’ll get to enjoy a steady flow of honey and be able to store it for later use.
Size of honey super
The size of a beekeeping honey super is important because the bees need space to store honey. Adding too many supers can make the hive overcrowded, especially if the bees are not used to working with so much space. In general, you can add a new super when eight out of the top ten frames of the body of the hive are being used. In order to keep a close eye on the honey super, you can simply use a measuring tape to determine the size of the hive.
The size of beekeeping honey supers should be proportional to the amount of honey being produced. One beekeeping super can house two or three bee colonies. If you have several supers, you should add another when the current one is halfway full or less. If you have more honey than a single hive can hold, you should add a third super. Adding a fourth super should be added when the existing one is at least half full.
A single hive box is relatively uncommon. Most beekeepers use one box for the hive body and another for the honey super. In the south, single deep supers are most common, while medium supers are most common in the northern region. Medium supers can serve as a honey super as well as a brood chamber. You should look for medium supers made of wood that is medium in depth.
Cost of honey supers
The cost of beekeeping honey supers depends on how many hives you have, the kind of hive you have, and the amount of honey you want to collect. The most common supers are shallow, medium, and deep. Shallow supers are the lightest type of supers, but they can weigh as much as 40 pounds. Medium supers, on the other hand, use medium frames and can produce just as much honey as deep supers.
Beekeeping honey supers are not a necessity for every hive, and there are many benefits to hiring a professional to do the task for you. While this method requires less space, it can still yield higher profits. Most wholesale beekeepers sell their honey in 55-gallon barrels, which hold 640-650 pounds of honey. Wholesale honey requires specialized equipment, such as a scale, lifter, and heater. It may also require a special truck to transport the barrels.
A honey house is another essential component of beekeeping. This building will be used to extract, filter, and pack honey. It may be incorporated into a warehouse or stand alone. In either case, it needs to be separate from the main building for sanitation purposes. The cost of a honey house is comparable to the cost of a warehouse. Beekeepers should also purchase a warming room to keep their honey supers warm, typically a floor heating element. It is important to ensure that your beekeeping honey house meets food safety guidelines. You may even face a pesticide inspection.
Pollen increase in beekeeping colonies
A beekeeping colony’s ability to raise brood determines the size and number of adult bees. In temperate climates, the ability of a colony to raise brood depends on the amount of pollen it can collect from flowers. Pollen restriction can have drastic consequences for colony survival. In Egypt, for example, limiting the amount of pollen a colony collects can lead to an 80% decrease in the number of adult bees.
Increasing pollen production allows beekeepers to diversify their revenue sources and mitigate the effects of fluctuations in the price of honey. Beekeepers who sell honey directly can also use pollen to create value-added products for sale. Pollen can increase revenue by between two and nine percent, depending on the type of pollen sold. Pollen sold in bulk is generally the least expensive. However, targeted high-producers can significantly increase their revenue.
There are various methods to assess whether a beekeeping colony has increased pollen production. Observing foragers carrying pollen from different plants can give you some indication of the color of pollen. If you want to be more specific, you can buy a pollen trap, which forces incoming bees to climb through tiny openings and removes pollen from their legs. There are many different types of pollen traps on the market today, and some of them are used for human purposes as well.
Time to add a honey super
When adding a honey super to your beekeeping operation, be sure to consider your colony’s size and needs. While a super can be a medium-deep box, a smaller super will do as well. Bees do not store honey outside of their brood nest until it’s full. You should also consider whether or not your colony requires two brood boxes.
If you want to make the most of your honey harvest, it’s best to add a new super when your hives begin to fill with honey. You should wait until eight of the ten frames in the top brood chamber box are occupied by bees. If this happens, it may be time to rearrange some of the frames. During a honey flow, bees will begin to cover the center of six or seven frames of the next box.
The spring flow of honey was great this year and you should have a nice crop of honey. If the spring honey flow is strong, consider adding two supers. In the bottom box, fill up the outer frames with honey first. Later, rotate the inner frames into the middle position to make more room. Empty frames have honey but no brood. While you can leave them empty, the added super will reduce the amount of space that your bees require.