Filling supers

[Outlander]

Well last year we managed to take six pound of honey off of two hives. I only got my first colony last July on the 14th. This year my original colony under a supercedure Q started out bring in nectar quite slowly but these past two weeks this hive is filling a super in under a week, I know you hear on the forum of people stating how fast their bees are filling them and I think to myself that’s pretty good going. Now since experiencing it myself pretty good going is an understatement, it's amazing. They have also gained a little more respect from me. I just wish they would respect me just a little bit more and not sting me so much.

I need to put a forth super on this hive but worry if the stand will take the weight. First is full and not capped as is the second and the third. May be its time to buy a spectrometer.

Not bad going though, we come through winter with three out of four colonies now have seven producing. Though I must admit there was a time not so many weeks ago I was worried that we were not going to get much this year.

 

[oliver90owner]

Well done. I think you have found that beekeeping is really quite a simple affair - as long as you think things out carefully!

Regards, RAB

 

[Outlander]

I believe it can be especially when there help at hand from you guys. Cheers Rab .

 

[susbees]

May be its time to buy a spectrometer.

Now why would you be needing one of those??

 

[Finman]

I need to put a forth super on this hive but worry if the stand will take the weight. First is full and not capped as is the second and the third. May be its time to buy a spectrometer.

.

No, It is time to get a new stand and fifth super.

.

 

[beeno]

Hi Outlander,
I am very pleased for you to have some honey. It is well deserved after all the hard work you and village girl put into the bees and helping non-beekeeping people get rid of swarms!

 

[itma]

... May be its time to buy a spectrometer.

Now why would you be needing one of those??

A Refractometer would be much more useful.

Under £20, eBay, inc delivery from Hong Kong.
And 100 plastic 'disposable' pipettes, for taking lots of samples uncontaminated by washwater, is under a fiver delivered - eBay from the UK.

 

[Finman]

A Refractometer would be much more useful.

Under £20, eBay, inc delivery from Hong Kong.
And 100 plastic 'disposable' pipettes, for taking lots of samples uncontaminated by washwater, is under a fiver delivered - eBay from the UK.

What about stetoscope

.

 

[Haughton Honey]

What about stetoscope

.

Good for seeing if your hive is still alive mid-winter....

 

[susbees]

Good for seeing if your hive is still alive mid-winter....

....and locating cut-outs

 

[Finman]

Good for seeing if your hive is still alive mid-winter....

Does it wake up, if it is silent?

 

[Outlander]

Put some bricks under and some wooden weges. I think it would have taken them but just in case. Yes Finny now going towards number five. These are in my garden and this one is doing better than the seven out in the sticks at Village Girls. This hive was slow to start but now going very well. It was the only colony that I have paid for, it was from a local breader so maybe that's one of the facts that it's doing so well where the other hives that came through winter were from last years swarms. And talking about swarms have not had any for it about a week now which is a shame as have two beginners waiting for them.


View attachment 8544

 

[Finman]

.
How much national super contain honey?

.

 

[Bee-Key-Pur]

Put some bricks under and some wooden weges. I think it would have taken them but just in case. Yes Finny now going towards number five. These are in my garden and this one is doing better than the seven out in the sticks at Village Girls. This hive was slow to start but now going very well. It was the only colony that I have paid for, it was from a local breader so maybe that's one of the facts that it's doing so well where the other hives that came through winter were from last years swarms. And talking about swarms have not had any for it about a week now which is a shame as have two beginners waiting for them.


View attachment 8544

Wow, I think they are the cleanest hives I have ever seen, mine never looked that clean even when new....

 

[Outlander]

.
How much national super contain honey?

.

If you believe what the books say about 30lb each super I think. What ever it is, it's a lot of toast to get through.

 

[Cazza]

And 100 plastic 'disposable' pipettes, for taking lots of samples uncontaminated by washwater, is under a fiver delivered - eBay from the UK.

I use a chopstick- free from the local chinky.
Cazza

 

[YorkshireBees]

.
How much national super contain honey?

.

Judging by the supers I extracted last weekend 10-12kgs per super.

Depending on number of frames etc.

I would suggest, based solely on my experience from this year, that you can do a quick in field shake test instead of using a refractometer.
Also I found that the supers had to be pretty much capped 100% before they were ready!
Had 5 supers on some hives and I was running out of supers and unable to reach high enough to add another!

 

[Outlander]

Those twenty quid spectrometers any good then. It seem a little cheap. Anyway night night for a couple of hours as on nights.. Refractometer that's what I meant where did I get Spectrometers from

 

[Finman]

If you believe what the books say about 30lb each super I think. What ever it is, it's a lot of toast to get through.

Ok. It is about same as Langstroth medium super. I have weighed 16 kg.

 

[steve56616]

Those twenty quid spectrometers any good then. It seem a little cheap. Anyway night night for a couple of hours as on nights.. Refractometer that's what I meant where did I get Spectrometers from

I bought one but I don't think it works. My line is more of a blue white haze and cant tell where the line would/should. Works with water but that's all