Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: tedlemay on May 24, 2012, 08:47:43 AM

Title: Adding supers
Post by: tedlemay on May 24, 2012, 08:47:43 AM
Lets say spring is getting in full swing and the flow is on. Its time to add supers. Is it a rule of thumb to only add one at a time or can you simply add 2 or 3 at a time? If you add more than 1 do they do bad things? Just a thought!
Title: Re: Adding supers
Post by: Joe D on May 24, 2012, 09:57:02 AM

I am fairly new to beek, I have had bees less than a year.  The more empty space in your hive, the big area the bee have to chase SHB's.  I am guilty of adding the next super by the time they have 1 half done.

Joe
Title: Re: Adding supers
Post by: beetalkin on May 24, 2012, 07:56:58 PM
don't give them more drawn comb than they can guard. i lost a hive to beetles that way. if adding foundation or empty frames, under-supering is the way to go. the bees will move down & draw comb as they need it.
Title: Re: Adding supers
Post by: Kathyp on May 24, 2012, 08:07:43 PM
you are talking about honey supers?  sometimes people say super when they are talking about brood boxes.

i don't have to worry about SHB where i am, so if i'm going out of town when i know the flow will hit, i put a couple on.  if i'm going to be home i usually do only one at a time. 
Title: Re: Adding supers
Post by: Finski on May 24, 2012, 11:54:05 PM
Quote from: tedlemay on May 24, 2012, 08:47:43 AM
Is it a rule of thumb to only add one at a time or can you simply add 2 or 3 at a time?

The size of colony says how much you may add room.

I have here flow too, but however nights and some days are cold.

What I do, I give now one box under the brood box and one box over the brood.

if bees do not fill all gaps in the hive, I give only under the brood.

to add 3, you may do it but you spoil the hive build up.
When hive has 6 boxes allready, you may add 3 more, but it is not wise.

I do not use excluder.