What is a honeybee hive super?
A honeybee hive super is a loose term applied to any box added to a vertical beehive. A “super” added to raise more bees is AKA a “brood box”. A “super” added to collect honey is called a “honey super”. Supers come in different heights and widths.
What does “Super” mean in beekeeping?
By definition, “super” means, “added to” or “on top of”, such as a superscript, or superintendent. We put a shallow box (es) on top of the brood box for the bees to put their honey stores (we say, ”super the hive with honey supers”). We beekeepers are adept at creating new ways to use words.
What are honey supers?
This lesson is about honey supers, placed on top of the brood boxes. These supers are where the bees place honey that you can take off of the hive. In lesson one we took a look at the placement of a hive, the hive stand and the bottom board.
What is a honey super box?
A honey super is a part of a commercial or other managed (such as by a hobbyist) beehive that is used to collect honey. The most common variety is the "Illinois" or "medium" super with a depth of 6⅝ inches, in the length and width dimensions of a Langstroth hive . A honey super consists of a box in which 8–10 frames are hung.
When should you add a honey super?
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.
How long does it take bees to fill a honey super?
one to two weeksIn a good honey flow, strong hives can fill a super in one to two weeks, or even in a couple of days, though this is rare. Depending on the flow you may need up to four or five supers above the brood chamber.
What is the difference between a brood box 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.
What's the super for bees?
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.
Can I leave a honey super on over winter?
Yes, you can leave a honey super or several on the hive over Winter. In fact, most beekeepers do have a super or two designated for use by the bees. The size of the box designated as the “food super” for the bees varies from one beekeeper to another and from one region to another.
Why are my bees not using honey super?
The most common reason your bees aren't filling your supers is because they are simply not strong enough. Your colony isn't ready to move up into the super for honey storage, and you have given them to much space. Your weaker colonies will need more time to get established.
Should I add a brood box or honey super?
Generally, a honey super is added when the brood box has approximately six out of the eight frames with bees and brood, as well as stored nectar. If you have a ten-frame hive, then approximately eight out of the ten frames should have bees and brood on them. As a rule of thumb, 80% of the brood box should be full.
How many supers should a hive have?
As a rule of thumb, you should expect to need three supers for each hive. When inspecting the hive, remember that nectar takes up three times the space of processed honey. Beekeepers should allow extra space for this early in the season. The supers are usually left on the hive until the end of the season.
Can I take honey from brood box?
It is a serious no-no to extract honey with brood in the frame, contaminating with lots of bugs, whether capped or not. Just leave frames out of the job and put them back in the hive, can hatch out and extract later if needed.
Why is a honey super called a super?
Super is short for superstructure, which refers to the boxes placed on a beehive for bees to store honey. Historically, a super was always a medium, 6 5/8-inch tall box, or a shallow 5 3/4-inch tall box. Both are traditionally referred to as supers, exclusive of the deep 9 5/8-inch box used on the bottom of the hive.
Why is it called a honey 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 “ ...
Can you put a honey super on too early?
Try not to add supers too early or too late, but if you are uncertain, then do it sooner. Also, remember to only harvest surplus honey and leave enough for your bees to make it through the year.
Can you put a honey super on too early?
Try not to add supers too early or too late, but if you are uncertain, then do it sooner. Also, remember to only harvest surplus honey and leave enough for your bees to make it through the year.
How can I encourage my bees into super?
2:485:14Beekeeping Basics - How to Add a Super - The Norfolk Honey Co.YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThis super off down in front of beehive. And then take the new super and gently place it on top giveMoreThis super off down in front of beehive. And then take the new super and gently place it on top give it a wiggle to prevent squishing too many bees. Make sure that the frames are running in the same.
How long does it take for bees to fill a flow hive?
New beekeepers frequently ask “How long does it take for bees to fill a frame?” A healthy hive on a good nectar flow can quickly fill a six-frame Flow super in a couple of weeks.
How long does it take for bees to fill a frame?
A strong bee colony can fill a frame every 2 to 3.5 days, and fill a 10 frame brood box in 20 to 35 days.
What happens when honeycomb is full?
When the honeycomb is full, the bees will reduce the moisture content of the honey to 17-18% moisture content before capping the comb with beeswax . Beekeepers will take the full honey supers and extract the honey.
What is a honey super?
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. The most common variety is the "Illinois" or "medium" super with a depth of 6 5⁄8 inches, in the length and width dimensions of a Langstroth hive . A honey super consists of a box in which 8–10 frames are hung.
How deep is a super honey hive?
The most common variety is the "Illinois" or "medium" super with a depth of 6 5⁄8 inches, in the length and width dimensions of a Langstroth hive . A honey super consists of a box in which 8–10 frames are hung.
When do bees remove supers?
During a honey flow, beekeepers may put several honey supers onto a hive so the bees have enough storage space. Honey supers are removed in the fall when the honey is extracted, and before the hive is winterized, but enough honey is left for the bees to consume during winter.
What are Honey Supers?
Honey super is a box that holds frames hung inside where the bees store their honey. Think of it as a box used to manage a beehive. It makes rearing bees and collecting honey easy. Historically, honey supers were always either a shallow 5 ¾ inches tall box or medium 6 5 / 8 inches tall box. Both are traditionally referred to as supers, even the 9 5 / 8 inches deep box can be used as a super.
What is the Purpose of a Honey Super?
Honey super is a bee rearing equipment that has several purposes. Understanding the purpose of having a honey super will not only broaden your knowledge about bee rearing, but it will make you a better beekeeper. As such, rearing bees wouldn’t be so dreadful or unprofitable with more knowledge. Here are three purposes of having a honey super.
How to Build an 8-Frame Honey Super?
I’ll show you how to craft an 8 frame honey super with a table saw or router, lumber, and rabbet joints . The reason I’m using rabbet joints as opposed to the box joints which can support more weight is that rabbet joints have less surface area of ingrain of the wood exposed to the element than box joints. With that being said, follow these easy steps below to build an 8-frame honey super:
Should a New Super go on the Top or the Bottom?
Adding a new supper can go on the top or the bottom. Adding a new super above the brood box and below other honey, supers are called bottom supering. While putting a new super on top of an existing super is called top supering. There is no wrong way of doing it. However, each method comes with its advantage making the entire subject depend on the beekeeper’s preference.
What is a deep box 10?
The Miller DeepBox10 is a honey super made of wood. The wood has been treated and finished with wax to increase its durability. This wooden hive body is made of precision-milled interlocking box joints which also increase the strength of the box. Moreover, the beautiful unfinished pine is great for bees.
Why do bees need honey super?
During summer when flowers are blooming, honey production is usually increased. This means that your bee will be able to harvest more honey. While the bees may have the capability to harvest more, they may not harvest as much as you may think because of limited space.
Where is Mann Lake honey super made?
Another affordable honey super you can consider buying is the Mann Lake HK190. This honey super made in the USA is designed with quality pine. Pine honey super is durable and water-resistant to a certain level, meaning this honey super is quite durable.
Why is it easier to uncap a comb?
Wider combs are easier to uncap because the comb exceeds past the wooden frame, allowing the uncapping knife to ride along the wooden frame as a guide and uncapping all cells. Sometimes if the frames are not pulled out past the wooden frame edge, the uncapping knife cannot uncap the recessed cells.
How many supers can I put in my hive?
We'll discuss supering a hive in a future lesson, but for now, you can place as many supers on your hive as your bees want to fill up. I typically have at least 2-3 supers on my hives during the Spring and Summer.
What does "super" mean in beekeeping?
Today, let's take a look at the honey super. Some new beekeepers pronounce "super" incorrectly, calling it a "supper", like what you eat at night. It only has one "p", so it is pronounced the same as when you say, "super size it please." These are the supers we place on hives with the intent to remove whatever honey the bees store in these supers above their brood nest area, trusting they have plenty of stored honey in the deep hive bodies for winter.
Why is a 9 frame super more honey than a 10 frame?
It is true that a 9 frame super will usually contain more honey than a 10 frame because all nine frames are larger and can hold a total that exceeds 10 smaller drawn frames.
What is the difference between a honey super and a honey super?
The difference with the super is the height. There are three sizes used for honey supers. Beekeepers with strong backs sometimes use the deep size, 9 5/8" in height. A very common size is 6 5/8" in height. This is also called the Illinois super or a medium super. Then there is the small super.
How much does a deep super weigh?
Therefore, a deep super full of honey can weight close to 70 pounds. A medium close to 50 pounds and a small 30 pounds. We only build and sell medium supers because it is more commonly used by the average beekeeper. There are some limitations when using the small super.
How tall is a honeycomb?
It is 5 5/8" tall. Here's a picture of all three sizes, side by side. As you can see, the only difference is the height, which is very critical, because the greater the height, the larger the frame in height, and the larger the frame, the more honey it can hold.
Can You Add Honey Supers Too Soon?
Why not add a super really early before the bees need them? Well, there are a few problems with this technique. Giving the bees all that extra space before they need it can make their lives harder.
When is it Too Late to Add Another Super?
Waiting too late, certainly increases the chance that your hive will swarm. While this may be a good thing for bee -kind. Your harvest may be flying off over the top of the trees.
What is the purpose of queen excluders?
Queen excluders make life easier for most beekeepers. Their function is to restrict the slightly larger queen bee from entering the honey supers. Keeping bee brood out of the honey collection supers is good bee management.
Why add honey supers?
Adding honey supers allows room for ample honey collection and eases crowding inside the hive.
What is a super bee box called?
In the real world of beekeeping (in the field not a textbook), each one can be called supers, honey supers, or brood boxes depending on how the beekeeper is using them. For clarity, most beekeepers have a brood nest and food storage area of the hive.
How to start a new hive of bees?
A new hive of bees can be started with a captured swarm, a package of bees or even a nuc colony. Start with only 1 deep box. There is no need to give a small population of bees so much space to guard in the beginning.
Why is honey used in shallow supers?
Because honey is heavy, shallow supers are most commonly used for honey production.
When should I add a second (or third) Honey Super to my beehive?
Additional Honey Supers are added to the beehive tower when the top Honey Super’s two end frames show signs of the honeybees starting to draw out honeycomb on these frames.
Why do honey bees swarm?
Honeybees swarm because they become overcrowded and the Queen is running out of laying room, so a honey-bound Queen is likely to swarm with half the hive and a lot of honey is this situation is not remedied quickly.
Why do bees have only one brood box?
The reason most beekeepers start out the season with just one brood box super is that, during the winter, the bees have steadily eaten their way through the honey reserves in the second story brood box to get them through the winter , and now the bottom brood box super is empty.
What happens when you add a new brood box super?
When a new brood box super is added to the hive the bees will be very busy building out the new comb and storing honey for winter reserves. They can use all the help they can get during this growth phase. Supplying sugar water feed can eliminate the need for the worker bees to gather nectar in the field and allows for a much quicker bee build out of the new brood box.
What is a super bee?
A “super” added to raise more bees is AKA a “brood box”. A “super” added to collect honey is called a “honey super”. Supers come in different heights and widths. Heights can be intermixed, widths cannot.
Why do beekeepers use frames with new foundations?
Using frames with new foundation tends to cause the honey bee workers to draw honeycomb in a more organized fashion making it easier when the beekeeper pulls the brood box frames later for hive inspection.
When to add a deep brood super?
A deep Brood Super should be added when bees have built out all but the two end frames. Honey Supers are added to the top Brood Super when bees have built out all but the two end frames. Two Brood Super hives need to use a Queen excluder to protect the honey, three Brood Supers do not. A second story deep Brood Super is added to ...
Why are mediums called mediums?
Thus, mediums are named based on how they are being used by the bees: medium brood box (or hive body), or medium super, but yet (the irony previously mentioned) if the queen moves up into a shallow super and lays eggs, it is almost unheard of calling it a shallow brood box. The advantage of using all mediums is all the frames are interchangeable making management significantly more convenient. Disadvantages are that it takes three mediums to equal two deeps for brood boxes so again, more investment in extra box and 10 frames and foundation. The other somewhat disadvantage is that deep nucs are much more common than mediums although as the popularity is increasing, that issue is improving. Just remember to ask before ordering a nuc!
How are mediums named?
Thus, mediums are named based on how they are being used by the bees: medium brood box (or hive body), or medium super, but yet (the irony previously mentioned) if the queen moves up into a shallow super and lays eggs, it is almost unheard of calling it a shallow brood box.
What is a shallow box called?
The shallow box is also called a super. By definition, “super” means, “added to” or “on top of”, such as a superscript, or superintendent. We put a shallow box (es) on top of the brood box for the bees to put their honey stores (we say, ”super the hive with honey supers”).
What are the advantages and disadvantages of using all mediums?
The advantage of using all mediums is all the frames are interchangeable making management significantly more convenient. Disadvantages are that it takes three mediums to equal two deeps for brood boxes so again, more investment in extra box and 10 frames and foundation.
What is Langstroth beehive?
The Langstroth beehive design is the de facto standard in beekeeping. Based on his discovery of the 3/8” bee space, the removable frames of honeycomb allow easier management and harvesting of honey all without destroying the colony’s structure. In the U.S., two sizes of boxes became standards: the deep and the shallow.
What is the name of the box where bees build their combs?
In the U.S., two sizes of boxes became standards: the deep and the shallow. The deep acquired the names of “hive body” and “brood box” because that is, generally, where the bees build their combs for the primary purpose of raising new bees (brood). The shallow box is also called a super.
What is a medium super?
Medium super is the most common name you will see and hear today.
Why is there brood in the honey super and what should you do?
The long answer is a bit more complicated than the que en simply running out of room in the bottom brood boxes, and there are a few different scenarios to take into account before deciding on a course of action. There are three situations you can find you and your bees in:
What is the inner setup of a hive box?
Frames: The inner setup of both types of hive boxes is the same with frames that slide into them to house the brood and the honey. Frames will usually come with a plastic or beeswax foundation that gives the bees something on which to build their wax combs.
Why has the queen bee laid in the honey super?
Why has queen bee laid brood in the honey super? The queen has likely laid brood in the honey super because she is getting crowded in the lower deep hive body boxes or has just wandered into it and begun to lay-which she does about every 20 seconds. This isn’t a crisis, and there are a few courses of action for what to do next.
Why should you let the brood hatch?
First, you should let the brood hatch because brood is precious, and once they’re hatched, they will move down to the lower boxes to begin their work . After that, you can use a queen excluder ( see post how to choose it here) to keep the queen out of the honey super or hope that enough honey is produced to eventually encourage the queen to stay in the lower boxes.
What is the outer cover of a bee hive?
Outer Cover: The outer cover is the top of the hive and protects it from the elements.
How long does it take for a queen to emerge?
It will still take a few weeks for the queen to emerge, mature, take her mating flight, and then begin to lay and then another 3 weeks for the new brood to emerge, giving the colony lots of time to weaken and fail. But if it works, you’ll be able to keep your hive. If you find brood in the honey super, don’t panic.
How many hive bodies are there in a bee hive?
The brood, essentially the eggs and larvae, are raised in the deep hive bodies. Generally, there are 2 deep hive body boxes. The lower is where most of the eggs are laid and hatched while the upper is used for honey storage to be used for the bees. If the colony needs more space, more deep hive bodies can be added.
