The ideal time to add a super is during periods of natural population growth (typically, the spring), before or during a honey flow (spring or summer), or during periods of swarming (again, typically the spring). Before adding a super, beekeepers often use a standard rule of thumb, which is known as the 7/10 rule.Apr 1, 2021
What does a super do in a beehive?
Honey Super The honey super is a box that holds the frames where the bees will store their honey.
How long does it take bees to fill a honey super?
A strong colony during a strong honey flow can draw new foundation and fill a honey super in 1 week, and sometimes in 3 to 4 days. An average bee colony will take between 2 to 4 weeks, while a weaker colony will take 1 to 2 months.
When should I add another super to my beehive?
When the bee colony reaches a point when a 10 frame hive reaches 8 frames full of bees, that is when you will add another super. Use the 80% rule in adding each super. After the second super is full drawn out of comb, that is when you can end supplemental sugar water feeding.
Why is a honey super called a super?
Supers. Super is short for superstructure, which refers to the boxes added to a beehive for the bees to store honey. In the past, a super was always a medium or shallow box, but now it can refer to any box that is added to a hive, hence its name which means “above” in Latin.
What is a honey bee super?
Beekeepers define a super as “any upper-story hive box placed over the brood chamber for purpose of storing surplus honey.” When you look up “honey super,” Wikipedia informs us, “A honey super is a part of a commercial or other managed (such as by a hobbyist) beehive that is used to collect honey.” So, the verb “ Jun 1, 2021
What is the difference between a hive body and a super?
The difference between a “brood box” and a “super” is brood boxes are used by the queen to lay eggs called brood for raising new bees. A “super” is the hive box used to store a bee's honey called a “honey super”. Also, “super” is a common term used to describe the actual hive body or beehive box.
How many bees are in a super?
A Full, Two-Deep Hive with added supers = 60,000 bees This is a LOT of bees. When you see news stories about huge hives in walls it seems like they always say this was about 60,000 bees and everyone gasps. This amount of bees would fill a 5 gallon bucket or a few hive boxes.
Can you put a honey super on too early?
When to Add a Second Honey Super If you are in doubt, it is often best to add a bit early rather than too late. This rule is in reference to beekeepers that are adding additional boxes for honey harvest. Adding honey supers allows room for ample honey collection and eases crowding inside the hive.
What is the purpose of honey super?
A honey super is a part of a commercial or other managed (such as by a hobbyist) beehive that is used to collect honey.
Should I leave my honey super on over winter?
Removing honey supers is an essential component of preparing your beehive for winter. Supers that aren't required by your bees should be removed when temperatures cool in mid to late fall. Supers should be removed because in winter bees have formed a cluster, grouping together to conserve heat.
How much honey does a super hold?
A shallow super will typically yield between 25 and 30 pounds of honey, or 2 to 2 ½ gallons. A medium (6 5/8”) depth super will typically yield between 35 and 40 pounds, or 3 to 4 gallons. A full-depth box will typically yield between 60 and 70 pounds, or 5 to 6 gallons.
How heavy is a full honey super?
A shallow 10 frame super full of honey ought to weigh about 40 lbs. A medium super will weigh 40 to 50 lbs. A deep super will weigh 70 to 90 lbs. A deep hive body full of bees, brood, and honey should weigh about 80 lbs.