When to Install Supers ??

[MagicValley]

I'm in Southern Idaho at 42:30 North.  We are having nice days, in the mid-50s to low-60s, but nighttime temps are still in the 30s to mid-20s.  All in Fahrenheit, of course.

The bees are getting out and I can see that they are bringing back pollen, I have no clue where they get it from, because I haven't seen flowers anywhere yet.  Over winter, on a couple warm days I poured granulated sugar into the opening of the inner cover, so they have been well-fed.

Last year the hive swarmed because they did not go through the queen excluder into the empty supers and the two deep were honey bound.  After they swarmed, I robbed and added two supers.  Now one of the supers has wax on the foundation, so if I smear some honey on it I think they will start to store up there.

This year I want to put the supers on early, but not so early their heat goes up and out of the deeps, and the bees die from the cold.


What are the determining factors on when to install the two supers?

[gardeningfireman]

Pollen is coming from the maple and bleep willow trees.  From my experience and from what I have read, bees won't go through a queen excluder to draw comb. Wait until AFTER the frames in the supers are drawn out before adding a queen excluder.

[MagicValley]

Pollen is coming from the maple and bleep willow trees.  From my experience and from what I have read, bees won't go through a queen excluder to draw comb. Wait until AFTER the frames in the supers are drawn out before adding a queen excluder.

Ok, but when do you put on the supers?

[gardeningfireman]

Right before the fruit trees start blooming. Nighttime temps need to stay above freezing, so probably end of April or so.