Ventilate honey supers?

gardeningfireman · August 15, 2009, 08:59:39 PM

My hive has their bottom super pretty full of honey, but they are taking forever to cap it, and aren't drawing out the top one. What is the opinion of beeks regarding offsetting the supers for ventilation like you do with the brood boxes? Would it help with the evaperation process, or would it be asking for some kind of problems?
As always, thanks for any and all advice!
Alan

MustbeeNuts · August 15, 2009, 10:44:25 PM

You could just crack the top a bit with a small block of wood, that would let air pass thru, and its small enough the bees could protect it. thats all I do, and the bees cap the honey when its ready, if its not capped its not dry enough. Patience,, they won't cap the honey before its time.

alflyguy · August 15, 2009, 10:47:58 PM

I've read a lot about ventilating hives. It seems to make sense here in humid Alabama. Some of the systems seemed pretty complicated. I just put 2 thumb tacks at on the top front of the top super. It raises the cover just a little but not enough for robbers or other pests to get in. When I add or remove supers I just move the tacks. I think it has helped.

Kathyp · August 15, 2009, 10:50:24 PM

you can crack the top and also move some of those honey frames up. replace them with the undrawn frames next to the brood in the bottom box. don't break the brood nest.

gaucho10 · August 16, 2009, 01:57:04 AM

In my experience here in MA bees don't usually draw out much comb at this time of year. If you have a honey flow, you are better off to install fully drawn out combs. They do take longer to seal at this time of season. My theory is that most of the force is out bringing in the nectar and fewer bees doing the ventilating (air drying) :-D

bee-nuts · August 16, 2009, 06:15:47 AM

kathyp

"replace them with the undrawn frames next to the brood in the bottom box. don't break the brood nest."

What about capped brood. Do you worry about older capped brood as much?

Also, do the eggs, larva, pupa chill and die in same time frame at given temp or can the more developed take a drop of temp and recover if warmed quickly etc. I guess a better way to ask is, if they drop below brood temp will they die indefinitely or is there a sustained chill time factor. The adults can hang out all night in the field if it don't freeze, warm up the next day and come home right?

I heard a story about a queen purchased and chilled by A/C in truck (had in cup holder next to vent or something), called and asked for new queen cause it was dead and when he went to return it for another it warmed up and came back to life. It was just to stiff to move.

Kathyp · August 16, 2009, 10:58:28 AM

i would put undrawn frames to the outside of all brood, BUT gaucho has a point. no flow, no drawing of comb. in that case, you don't want undrawn comb in there over the winter. it sounds like you will be overwintering in one deep. you'll need to remove the empty one.

gaucho10 · August 16, 2009, 11:05:26 AM

Don't forget that you can use a follower board. Lets say that you only have 14 total drawn out brood frames in 2 boxes. Ten in the bottom and four on the 2 nd. brood chamber...You can use the follower boards to shrink the space on the sides so that you can have 7 and 7 frames on both brood boxes. The bees will stay in the center with 7 frames and work their way up during the winter. Those figures are just an idea/suggestion.

Joelel · August 16, 2009, 11:43:48 AM

Quote from: gardeningfireman on August 15, 2009, 08:59:39 PM
My hive has their bottom super pretty full of honey, but they are taking forever to cap it, and aren't drawing out the top one. What is the opinion of beeks regarding offsetting the supers for ventilation like you do with the brood boxes? Would it help with the evaperation process, or would it be asking for some kind of problems?
As always, thanks for any and all advice!
Alan

I would never offset any of my boxes,it lets it open for bee robbing and letting all kind of pests in. If you need vent,you should use screened bottoms and screened inter top covers. Always keep your hives as closed as possible,leave your entrance open only enough to where the bees don't get traffic jams.

bee-nuts · August 16, 2009, 05:28:39 PM

"Don't forget that you can use a follower board. Lets say that you only have 14 total drawn out brood frames in 2 boxes. Ten in the bottom and four on the 2 nd. brood chamber...You can use the follower boards to shrink the space on the sides so that you can have 7 and 7 frames on both brood boxes. The bees will stay in the center with 7 frames and work their way up during the winter. Those figures are just an idea/suggestion."

I never gave this much thought. Do you think they could winter like that in northern Wisconsin? Viable way to avoid feeding? Can you just use a piece of plywood, cut to whatever dimensions needed?

There is a commercial beek that has bees near my friends house. The hives only have a inner cover with hole in it for a lid. This does not sound like two bad an idea. Better ventilation, top entrance, one less piece of equipment to deal with in summer. What do you think?

Kathyp · August 16, 2009, 05:39:19 PM

does it rain where you live?

Joelel · August 16, 2009, 07:44:09 PM

Quote from: bee-nuts on August 16, 2009, 05:28:39 PM
"Don't forget that you can use a follower board. Lets say that you only have 14 total drawn out brood frames in 2 boxes. Ten in the bottom and four on the 2 nd. brood chamber...You can use the follower boards to shrink the space on the sides so that you can have 7 and 7 frames on both brood boxes. The bees will stay in the center with 7 frames and work their way up during the winter. Those figures are just an idea/suggestion."

I never gave this much thought. Do you think they could winter like that in northern Wisconsin? Viable way to avoid feeding? Can you just use a piece of plywood, cut to whatever dimensions needed?

There is a commercial beek that has bees near my friends house. The hives only have a inner cover with hole in it for a lid. This does not sound like two bad an idea. Better ventilation, top entrance, one less piece of equipment to deal with in summer. What do you think?

It rains where I live,we us screened bottoms ,screen inter covers and turn the outer cover side ways and lay blocks of wood on top with a PC. of plywood.We get ventelation and shade.

gaucho10 · August 16, 2009, 10:27:11 PM

bee-nuts, Do a search for "follower boards" here on this forum and you will get enough info to get you started or give you an idea. Everything depends on your woodworking skills, your location and how much you are willing to do to "experiment"...opps...excuse me....I ment "to do your beekeeping job.

bee-nuts · August 17, 2009, 02:50:04 AM

Does it rain here? No, I live in the smallest dessert on earth.

If you make your own inner cover (commercial inner cover) it will not be recessed to funnel water in. As far as that goes you could easily make a lip around the hole so only water that would get in would be direct landing rain in the hole. I have not seen the hives up close I was talking about. My friend rode up to them on his four wheeler and told me about it. I initially thought the same thing about the rain, but he must have a trick up his sleeve like above. Or maybe he is a special needs beekeeper.