"Duh" question for today....

[josbees]

Will the bees only fill a honey super if they already have enough for themselves in the deeps?

I'm asking because my surviving hive is completely  jam packed with bees and they are bearding mightily every evening.  I have shifted the top cover to aid in ventillation, but it hasn't done much good.  I'm thinking I could put the super on to give them some more room, but don't want to detract from their own supply. 

This is a first year hive, and I was assuming that I wouldn't be collecting any honey till next year.

Any thoughts?

[randydrivesabus]

how many frames of honey are there in the deeps?

[josbees]

I haven't gone into the bottom deep -- should I?

But in the top deep there is honey on all but the two end frames......

[charmd2]

Put the super on.   Sounds like they could swarm.   If you're using ten frame equiptment, the standard rule of thumb is to add a super, if they have seven of ten frames drawn. 

I'm first year too, started from packages, and possibly have had an awesome season because my two packages both gave me a super of honey so far, and they have two more on them now.   Hoping they make enough to help out my two swarm hives with stores come winter.

[JP]

Go into the broodnest and make sure she has room to lay, if the outer frames have honey you could replace them with empty drawn frames or whatever type of foundation you're using, if the super above them is honey filled and she runs out of room to lay below, they have no choice but to swarm out.

You may be able to sneak a frame or two for yourself if they have that much honey made.


...JP

[randydrivesabus]

i would super...sounds like they have enough for themselves at this point. You would do well to ask other beeks in your local area what the flow is like from now until frost. If there's a dearth now then the bees could easily consume what they have stored before the cold weather sets in. I would super with another deep so you will have frames of honey to feed back if necessary.

[Brian D. Bray]

Go into the broodnest and make sure she has room to lay, if the outer frames have honey you could replace them with empty drawn frames or whatever type of foundation you're using, if the super above them is honey filled and she runs out of room to lay below, they have no choice but to swarm out.

You may be able to sneak a frame or two for yourself if they have that much honey made.


...JP

Put the 2 outside frames into the center of the box, the queen should be able to utilize those as brood frames.  Then super and leave the excluder in the closet, it will just keep the bees out of the super.

[josbees]

I thought the super was supposed to keep only the queen out, but you're saying it keeps all of them out?

[kathyp]

bees don't like to cross the excluder.  if you are going to use one, your best bet is to let the bees start working the super, then add the excluder later.  many people do not use them at all under their honey supers. 

[josbees]

Thanks.

I love this forum.