Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: bill on August 23, 2005, 12:25:46 am
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I found this week that my second super is now almost full. it would be easy just to add a couple more on top but i am not sure if that is the way it should be done can someone tell me please. last one I took and got the honey out and replaced it with two, but this time I want to just keep adding them on. so should the empty ones go before the full ones?
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bill
it depends a lot on what type of honey you are trying to produce
extracted, cut comb, crush and strain. Are you planning to add a super
with drawn comb or new foundation. Adding one on top or under an
existing super either would work depends on your situation which would
be best for you. If you are doing cut comb, the less travel on the
capped honey the prettier the final product is with less stain therefore
put the new super under the full capped one, bees normally work down
if you are talking a drawn comb that you have extracted and dont
care about travel stain, I would put the new super on top the bees will find it. If useing new foundation closer to the brood chamber will result in better and quicker drawn comb. If nature cooporates with us you have
possibley 60 or more days of potiential flow from cotton if she dont, it may already be almost over.
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Also it depends on if you have drawn comb and what the weather is like and how strong the hive is.
On a strong hive in good foraging weather (not really cold at night) with drawn comb, I'd pile them on. If you only have foundation, I'd just stay a box and a half ahead of of them. On a small cluster with cold nights, I'd be careful how much room I gave them.
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I only have foundation and I want the honey to extract and bottle so I guess I will put them directly above the brood boxes. This is an extra strong hive. thanx.