to deep or to super?

yoyo · Post by **yoyo** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 5:44 am

I have a 5 frame nuc that I purchased the last of June. This hive has been working very hard and I noticed yesterday that the bees are crawling across each other to go in and out of the hive. I know this is a normal thing, at least I have seen this in the wild, but I worry about crowding now and swarming. I have a entrance reducer that is placed in at an angle to close up maybe have of the entrance. I am going to open the hive up this weekend and check the frame buildout closer. My question is this, Do I need to add a deep or a medium given that it is this late in the year. The cotton bloom has just started, so I think a medium is probably better, which foils my plans for keeping mediums just for honey supers. I also have a weak swarm that needs some workers, so I may swap places with this hive.
Any thoughts or opinions are welcome.
Nice to meet Wally at the NCSBA meeting.

Locust&Honey · Post by **Locust&Honey** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 6:32 pm

I would think you would need to know how strong your working colony is. In other words do they work their tails off or are they average? I have a hive that has drawn out 5 deep frames in 5 days. They are extremely strong when it comes to working. I have another hive that took 12 days. Both 5 frame splits. This trait has held true with feeding and honey production also. I have another hive that filled up 2 medium supers with honey during the flow WITHOUT a queen. They were raising a new queen after the split. These two hives I would have no problem adding a super to because they are workers. The others I would be cautious. One thing I have learned the most is to get to know your hives. They are all different. My son and I can tell you what time they are going to be foraging and what types of pollen they will be bringing in, etc... When you observe them enough you will get a feel for what they CAN do and won't have to guess a what they might do. I think with the amount of bees you say you see, a medium would be fine. Are you feeding or will the cotton blloms be enough for them to draw and fill??

yoyo · Post by **yoyo** » Sat Jul 21, 2007 10:01 am

I am feeding with two boardman feeders set out on a cement block some 20 feet from the hives. The three hives are taking a gallon each day and would probably do more if I were around during the day to refill the quart jars. I put new jars on in the morning and then two more in the afternoon when I get home. I am planning to feed them thru the winter but I will change to a division board type feeder when cold weather arrives. I need to do a close inspection to see exactly what they are doing. I can say for sure that they are nowhere near the fast builders that your bees seem to be. With that said however, I have read that the bees build when THEY think they need to. So with a cotton bloom starting they may speed up more. If not, then I will have to consider combining them or let them try to get thru the winter on sugar syrup alone.

Locust&Honey · Post by **Locust&Honey** » Sat Jul 21, 2007 4:30 pm

Now (to me) that would encourage me to add a medium. They are really drinking the sugar water!!! I would go for it. It sounds like they should have no problem doing what you want them to do. Good luck!!