Where to Put Bee Honey Supers

When storing the empty supers, place them somewhere away from light and rodents. You can also keep the frames in the freezer or draw them out on a good flow of honey. Be careful not to store empty supers in light as wax moths will lay eggs in the honey supers next spring. If you have trouble deciding where to put bee honey supers, consult a beekeeping expert.

Queen excluders are not a good idea

The main disadvantage of using a queen excluder for bee honey supers is that it prevents the queen from accessing the super. It’s not just the queen that can be harmed by an excluder. Bees that are unable to produce honey can be caused by a weak colony or low nectar flow. Another disadvantage is that introducing a new queen can be difficult and costly.

During active swarming season, beekeepers typically close the upper drilled entry and leave it closed with a piece of tape. This method is generally effective, but it does have its drawbacks. Bees will not expand without pollen and nectar. If a beekeeper is using a queen excluder for their bee honey supers, a stray queen may enter and contaminate the fine honey in the super.

Another reason why queen excluders are not a good idea is because they can cause injury to worker bees, especially if the holes are too large. A weak moth may also die, which leaves a weak colony. As a result, the queen will have to breed new worker bees, which will cause the current colony to be short-staffed until the new workers are ready. A queen excluder will need to be replaced from time to time.

There are other reasons why excluders are not a good idea, though. First of all, the queen could fill the super with broods, making it impossible for you to harvest honey. This is not sanitary, and could ruin the honey you have collected. Moreover, the nurse bees may be unwilling to leave the brood, so it’s best to prevent them from entering the honey super. Then, you’ll have to wait 24 days to extract the honey.

Frames for bee honey supers

Beekeepers who use the Danzenbaker hive style use frames that have pins in the end bars. The pins keep the frames vertical in the super, preventing them from rocking sideways. The pins also keep the honey super sanitary and free of bee waste. There are several types of frames, including a combination of the two. Depending on the hive design, there may be more than one type of frame.

Supers typically come in three different sizes: deep, medium, and shallow. The depth of the boxes determines the size of the supers, and therefore, the choice of frames. Many beekeepers choose to use medium supers as both a honey super and a brood chamber. Medium supers are available in both assembled and unassembled varieties, and should be made of medium-sized wood frames.

Beekeepers use honey supers to store extra honey and pollen. Honeybees will feed up to the supers, but a good rule of thumb is to add a new super when eight or more frames of the top hive body are being used. A good super size is approximately double the height of your hive. Honey supers should be added when nectar flow is strong and nectar flow is heavy.

The foundation and frames of honey bee colonies are made from frames. Bees use the frames and foundation to store their nectar. A honey bee colony has two types of supers: a medium and a deep super. A deep super is used for brood and a medium super is used for winter feeding. When a honey bee colony grows beyond this level, they will migrate to the medium super to store the honey.

When to add a new super

Many beekeepers add a new super for bee honey before the first one is complete. This prevents swarming, but it also allows for additional honey collection. When to add a new super depends on several factors, including the climate, the type of flora, and the size of the colony. In addition, adding an extra box may make it harder to locate the queen.

The first question to ask when adding a new super is how much space does your hive have? When the bees’ number increases dramatically and nectar levels are at their highest, it’s time to add a new super. You can use stacking boxes or build upward to provide more space. Adding a new super should be done before white waxing is visible, though adding a new super after the flow of nectar is more desirable for producing comb honey.

A general rule of thumb is to add a new super when the second brood chamber reaches eight frames full. As long as honey flow remains good, the second super can be added. If you plan to place it in high nectar flow areas, however, be sure to follow the 80% rule when adding supers. This way, you can ensure that the colony has enough honey to last until your next planned visit.

Foundation drawn out on a good honey flow

Beekeepers often wonder why they should use foundation rather than the other method. The reason is that foundation does not provide more room for bees, and is not recommended during other times of the year. When foundation is added, it should be baited by placing two partially capped frames in the middle of the foundation box and replacing them with new frames of the same foundation. This stimulates the bees to move up into the honey super.

The most important component for drawing out a foundation is the quality of the honey flow. Bees need a high-quality honey flow to be able to produce sufficient amounts of wax, which is necessary for building a strong foundation on which to lay a honeycomb. Bees will need assistance with building the foundation, however. Beekeepers should offer them a generous supply of syrup to supplement their natural nectar and boost their wax production.

Requeening a hive before adding a super

Beekeepers should follow several guidelines when requeening a hive before putting a honey super on it. Bees will not move onto foundation unless they are provided with a steady flow of nectar. Sugar syrup can be used to lure the bees to move onto the foundation. It can take two gallons of heavy syrup to draw out the wax and fill the first 10 deep combs with sugar “honey.” Using a supersedure is one way to requeen a hive, but it’s risky if you’re not in an area with abundant drone supply.

Requeening a hive involves removing the old queen and introducing a new one. While this process can be a simple process, it can take a bit of work. In some cases, a beekeeper may even want to introduce a new queen to his or her hive in an effort to change the behavior of its swarm.

When requeening a hive, it’s important to keep in mind the size of the hive and the number of bees. Typically, a hive has eight frames of bees. The second super, which is considered a winter feed, is added to the hive after the colony has reached eight frames. However, if you are able to manage two supers, you should place one in an area where there is high nectar flow.

Adding a super during a good honey flow

In Northwest Arkansas, a honey flow typically begins mid-April, making it important to place a super on your hives during a good flow before swarming. If you have trouble detecting when a good flow starts, you can use a Redbud tree in your area as a signal. Then, wait until the second super is 80-90% full before placing it on the hive.

Adding a super during a good flow of honey will help keep the combs safe over winter. But be aware that honey flow can be quite hot, and it may be necessary to add a screened bottom board to your super. When the bees are fully formed, they may be too small to move into a super at this time. If you have too many bees, they might not be ready to move into a super when it is full.

Top supering is the practice of adding a super over the existing super. This method is convenient, especially if you already have a box of supers. The box is typically a shallower size, which makes it easier to handle. Top supering also allows you to use standard boxes, which are easier to move when full. As a bonus, it allows you to add more supers in a shorter amount of time.