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  • Removing Supers

  • Beginners forum, ask beekeeping related questions and get help from other experienced beekeepers. Please use the Search Feature please to avoid duplicated threads
Beginners forum, ask beekeeping related questions and get help from other experienced beekeepers. Please use the Search Feature please to avoid duplicated threads
 #6896  by Japey Edge
 06 May 2020, 15:08
Hi everyone,

I have three supers on my biggest colony and I have no doubt they're foraging the OSR. All new supers were added underneath each time - so the super at the top has been on longest.

I have a clearer board with an 8-way bee escape on it. I added the last super full of frames with foundation just last Saturday.

Is it as simple as just sliding the clearer board under the top super? I'm asking from a bee-congestion point of view, will I need to give them another super so they have the same amount of space?

Last week the top super was really heavy. The second was pretty heavy after only one week since they were put on as frames of foundation so that's why I added the third. I'm cautious of leaving the frames to be fully capped as I have heard OSR honey is a nightmare. My extractor arrived today too so it looks like I'm all set.
 #6897  by NigelP
 06 May 2020, 16:34
You are using poly hives Jazz, so less of a problem as the poly supers retain heat better than wooden supers.
I would put a rim of wood about an inch deep around the board with your 8 way clearer on, so they have space to clear into..... then stick it between your most full super and the one below. I'd test the frames first (shake test) before clearing and best to stick on AM as sometimes in a strong flow they will store the dilute nectar in uncapped cells. Got the T shirt.
Remove next morning and extract ASAP, it stays warm in hive but will set quickly at room temp....within a few days if it's cold.
Strain and leave in buckets to set before making soft set honey with it later. If it sets within 7 days in the bucket it's got a high % of OSR, if it takes a few weeks it will be lower %OSR. If it hasn't set after 6-8 weeks you have that rare beast of real spring blossom honey.......just a rough and ready measure.

If you don't mess about no need to add back space before clearing, just stick your now damp frames in your super back on the hive as soon as extracted, bees will do the rest.
 #6898  by Japey Edge
 06 May 2020, 18:35
Cheers Nigel!

But... What if we were to jar the honey straight away? I guess it wouldn't look great... Hmm.


On the clearer board front - we have an eke around 50mm deep, so twice what you've mentioned. Will that suffice? I'm guessing wild comb is the potential issue here? One of the supers is foundation frames and only put on last Saturday. This is the same colony that lost some numbers due to the artificial swarm too. Might they get away with just the clearer board? Of course I'll heed your advice, it's just possible this additional info changes things :-)
 #6899  by NigelP
 06 May 2020, 18:50
Japey Edge wrote:
06 May 2020, 18:35
Cheers Nigel!

But... What if we were to jar the honey straight away? I guess it wouldn't look great... Hmm.
No...do not bottle.....not immediately. It will set and frosting will occur and it will be like concrete
And deeper lip is fine, some of mine are 3 inches.
Space is important as more bees are being born...and it's warm....
 #6900  by Steve 1972
 06 May 2020, 20:47
Nigel has it nailed Jazz..but I will repeat do not jarr till the honey has been sat for over a month in a bucket even longer if mixed rape honey..if it is for your own use you can jarr it and warm it in warm water to get it back to runny stuff if that is what you want..
Regarding clearer boards I have four Rhombus clearer boards that I made myself..however with my apiary location a shake and bee brush is my best method..I did test the Rhombus clear board and it worked well..but a shake and horse hair bee brush does the job for me.
 #6901  by Japey Edge
 06 May 2020, 21:05
Nice one lads thank you very much!
Clearer board and eke going on tomorrow morning. Coming off morning after. Probably won't be able to resist a peak through clear crown board tomorrow afternoon just to see how it's working.
 #6902  by Japey Edge
 06 May 2020, 23:13
Just had a thought.
Providing the honey isn't at risk of crystallising in the combs in the coming days, I might delay extraction until I can do two or more supers at the same time.

I was mainly thinking about the chance of it having high OSR content and therefore crystallising. Really when seeking advice I should include this so I don't lead the answer down a certain path :oops:
 #6903  by Patrick
 07 May 2020, 00:37
For my five penneth, if you have reason to think they are finding OSR / the top super is heavy / it’s already fully capped / its in the garden and I had a shiny new extractor to play with I would just get on with it Jazz, it can’t get better than capped.

A super of easily extractable honey is worth having over a box of part crystallised combs - it is a useful learning experience about early honey in your area. If the flow stalls or the weather changes you could be waiting a while for the second box to be capped by the bees especially if they are drawing out the foundation as well.
 #6905  by Steve 1972
 07 May 2020, 07:41
Jazz if you are unsure if OSR is going into the supers or not try sitting by the side of the hive and watch the bees coming in..if the bees have found the rape you will see a very distinctive little yellow dot between the eyes..also get yourself a refractometer..I have extracted rape honey that is uncapped but only contains 16% moisture..good luck and enjoy your first honey. ;)
 #6908  by Japey Edge
 07 May 2020, 10:48
Well we tried the shake test, the bees haven't quite got there yet. I resisted using smoke as I have read it taints the honey. After first shake test they settled as they had some cleaning up to do.

Maybe in another week. The super is really heavy, just they need to finish it off. Hopefully the next two days will mean progress - 20 degrees and sunny, what is happening in the North East?!?!