lsb Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 Hello, I am a new beekeeper in the USA but with a Beehaus (lived in Oxford for 10 years and love the design). I received my bee packet in early May and in the US, the bees arrive in a small cage that you then transfer the bees to the hive rather than as a nucleus colony. I started with five frames, added two, and then added two more frames as the others were filled out. The two new frames have been in the hive for over two weeks and show very little activity. Do I wait until they are nearly full before adding the supers? I'm not sure when is the right time to add the supers so if anyone has any advice, I'd appreciate it. Thanks! lsb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted June 22, 2014 Share Posted June 22, 2014 The general advice is to super when there are 6/7 frames of brood. What is on the two outside drawn frames? If there are stores and the bees are not drawing the last two frames you put in swap them to the inside of the two outside ones. Is there a flow on? If not then you could feed a little thin syrup to get them drawing the frames....not too much, just a litre or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lsb Posted June 28, 2014 Author Share Posted June 28, 2014 Thanks, I definitely have the brood on 7 frames and have just added the final frame and moved two that aren't as built up closer to the middle. As for feed, I just finished with sugar syrup and they don't recommend continuing with it now that the nectar is flowing. So I should add all 10 supers at this point or start with five? And do I need to use the queen excluder on the clearer board? Thanks a million and sorry for my delayed reply-crazy week! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted June 29, 2014 Share Posted June 29, 2014 The beehaus has half supers, each with five frames...doesn't it? I would put both on and excluder between them and brood. Keep an eye on them, my bees are going crazy, drawing and filling a super in less than a week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lsb Posted June 30, 2014 Author Share Posted June 30, 2014 Yes, five supers in each frame, so 10 for two supers. Great, thanks, will do. One last question-can I add four supers across the top of the beehaus if I only have one hive in one side? If so, do I also need to add the queen excluder? Thanks again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted June 30, 2014 Share Posted June 30, 2014 Yes, five supers in each frame, so 10 for two supers. No five frames in each super. Great, thanks, will do. One last question-can I add four supers across the top of the beehaus if I only have one hive in one side? No point adding a super over an empty box. Just add the two supers over the half occupied by the bees. When they have drawn the frames and the supers have nectar and are FULL of bees, add another. Some people under super ( New super under one being worked on) some over. Your choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lsb Posted July 3, 2014 Author Share Posted July 3, 2014 Thanks-I have just added the 10 supers over the brood frames with queen excluders on top of brood frames. Bees don't seem to be moving through them but will check in the morning. My last question has to do with clearer board-do I place these on top of the supers or just leave the supers open under the top? Thanks again-very helpful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted July 3, 2014 Share Posted July 3, 2014 I'm not too familiar with the Beehaus although I have seen them. I'm not sure if you mean clearer or cover board? A clearer board is used UNDER a super when you want to remove the honey, because it 'clears' the bees by preventing them from returning to it. You won't need that at this stage. You should have a cover board (looking at the Beehaus in the Omlet shop) over the super, to prevent the bees building brace comb up into the roof. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lsb Posted July 3, 2014 Author Share Posted July 3, 2014 Thanks-figured that out and put on the cover boards, not the clearer ones, whew! Thanks again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lsb Posted July 13, 2014 Author Share Posted July 13, 2014 Hello, I added two supers about 10 days ago and there doesn't seem to be much activity in them-there are bees, but not many, and no activity on the wax frames. Should I be concerned? Should I remove the supers? When I added the supers, 8 brood frames were nearly full. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 Spray foundation with sugar syrup, refresh it with light heat from a hairdryer, remove the excluder? All these might work. A better way is to put the supers under for a few days so that the bees walk all over them but then you can't do that with your hive PS. I might try moving the divider board( is that possible....like on a Dartington on which the Beehaus is based?) to allow one extra frame. Put in a shallow frame right next to the brood nest for a day so that they start drawing it then pronto move it up top before it is fully drawn and not layed in) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 PS Bees won't draw comb if they don't need to; waste of effort. What is the forage like in your area? Is there anything for them to collect and store?You don't say where you live. How warm is it? All these things are important Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lsb Posted July 14, 2014 Author Share Posted July 14, 2014 Thanks for the suggestions. I live in Seattle, WA, and we are experiencing pretty high temperatures (mid 80sF) these days-nice and sunny and plenty of activity. Also plenty for bees to feed on in the three mile radius as well as in the garden. I will try sugar syrup spray and putting a frame in the hive and see what happens-hopefully some action! I'll let you know how it goes, thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
