Sunday, June 12, 2011

Honey Supers

I am going out today to put honey supers on all my colonies. Some of them aren't quite ready yet but better to put them on early than late. The package bees from the first load have built up very nice, the second load is a little behind but I anticipate they should all be ready to make some honey when the nectar flow starts.
The thing that catches many beekeepers by surprise is how quick a hive can put up honey and draw comb. Waiting for the bees to draw out the first box took a month. Then the second box took around three weeks. But now there is getting to be a good population. When a beekeeper adds a third box, this box can be drawn out in ten days. If there is a strong population and a strong nectar flow a hive can easily fill a super, drawn out and capped in a week. So it is important to be ahead of the bees.