Extraction Question ( Removing bees from Supers)

[BeeHopper]

For Brian D. Bray, MB, and other Beeks who employ TOP ENTRANCES, How do you remove Bees from Supers that are on top come harvest time. I usually use the stinky stuff, but with the top entrance removed and replaced with the fuming board, will I encounter problems with returning foragers ?


:?

[Michael Bush]

I either harvest when it's cool and the bees are down in the brood nest, or I use two triangular bee escapes.  I put one on a bottom board, set the supers from several hives on that, and then put another on top.  Facing the right direction, of course so that they can get out the bottom or out the top, but not in.  In 24 hours most of them will be out of the supers (assuming no brood in the supers).  My other method if it's not a dearth is to take the supers off just before dark and stand them on their ends so the end is on the ground and the openings are on the side and let the bees drift back to the hives.  After dark I gather them up and haul them to the house.  Since I extract in the kitchen, I brush each frame off in the driveway either on the ground (if it's warm) or into a box of frames, or even an empty box (if the nights are chilly).  The next day I take this to the home beeyard (100 yards from there).

I guess the bottom line is what I do depends on a flow or dearth and cool or warm weather.

[Brian D. Bray]

Having gone to bottomless hives this year it is no longer a problem.  The bees enter through both the top entrance and the bottom so when I am going to harvest supers I'll just block the top entrance for a day and use a triangle escape.

[BeeHopper]

Thank you Gentlemen, I see the " Light "  :-D