Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: carlfaba10t on April 10, 2012, 02:46:33 PM

Poll
Question: I am using 9-1/4" deep supers will 20 frames hold 100,000 bees?
Option 1: 2 or 3 supers votes: 2
Option 2: add 5-1/4" honey supers votes: 0
Title: deep supers
Post by: carlfaba10t on April 10, 2012, 02:46:33 PM
Was wondering if two 9-1/4" deep supers will be big enough for one large colony of bees. :-x
Title: Re: deep supers
Post by: Joe D on April 10, 2012, 03:18:04 PM


If you are talking about brood boxes 2 or 3 would probably hold them.  And if your talking honey supers, it depends on nectar and pollen flow, probably not enough.
Just my opinion.

Joe
Title: Re: deep supers
Post by: Finski on April 10, 2012, 03:30:16 PM
.
You put on hive so much high or low supers as needed.
.
Title: Re: deep supers
Post by: AllenF on April 10, 2012, 03:35:42 PM
Most people run 2 deeps year round.   Then add honey supers on top as needed, and honey supers can be shallow, medium, or deep depending on what you like or how young you are.   Honey supers are used only when honey is being produced.
Title: Re: deep supers
Post by: carlfaba10t on April 11, 2012, 01:26:14 AM
Thanks for all reply's, Allenf thanks i was not sure if you needed to add honey supers to start with are only after both deep brood supers are drawn and full of brood and honey.Does that sound right? :roll:
Title: Re: deep supers
Post by: BlueBee on April 11, 2012, 02:03:27 AM
I think you're about right there.  No need to add additional boxes until the brood boxes are about 80% combed up.  If you live in a mild climate without big pest problems (wax moths, shb) you can probably super anytime you want.  However most people tend to only super when the bees need more room and can patrol more space.

2 deep boxes filled with brood will make a lot of bees!  Each deep frame has 6000 to 7000 cells depending upon the size of your cells (normal, small cell).  6000 x 10 frames per box x 2 boxes = 120,000 cells for baby bees.  

Unfortunately the bees don't fill all the cells with bees, but if they have 120,000 to work with per brood cycle, you can get a lot of bees!