# When to add honey supers



## moldy (Mar 5, 2004)

This is my first year doing bees. I have a hive set up without honey supers as I was concerned about making sure the hive was off to a good start before I started robbing it. The bees have been in the hive less than a month, and there is a lot of comb in the top box. Should I put honey supers on? Is it possible to take honey the first year a hive is established?


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## goodatit (May 1, 2013)

imo you should not take any honey the first year. you say there is a lot of comb in top box. is there any brood there? are all the frames in the top box drawn out. if i were you i would try to find someone in the area to help you out. its hard to help without actually seeing whats going on. the first season you should concentrate on building a strong hive. the main flow has probably already started in your area. you probably don't have enough bees to pack away any surplus honey. they will be using it to build the hive numbers. by the time the hive is strong enough to put away any honey for you, the main flow will be over. good luck with your bees.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

All 20/18 frames in a deep should be fully drawn out with brood and some honey before you add honey supers. 


 Al


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## HTWannabee (Jan 19, 2007)

You may be able to get away with taking one frame of honey the first year just to give yourself a little pay back. Just be sure they have enough to get through the winter. 8o lbs is best here in the NE.


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## moldy (Mar 5, 2004)

The comb is full of brood -which is a great thing, but....

(why does there always have to be a but?)
They are building comb everywhere but on the frames. It is on the underside of the inner cover. It is between the combs, it was on the feeder before I removed that. There is very little to none on the frames. I am using wooden frames with plastic inserts.

Should I take out most of the inserts and let them try again?


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## kendall j (Mar 30, 2007)

The rule of thumb I was told by my dad was when 8 frames are capped in the top hive body or super, add a new one. Of course, I sometimes get busy with other things and miss that opportunity. Checked a hive one time and they had full supers and appeared to have swarmed. I wasn't too torn up over it. The new queen's daughters were much nicer. Did hate to lose the opportunity to add another hive, but losing mean bees made it easier to deal with.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

"I am using wooden frames with *plastic* inserts.Should I take out most of the inserts and let them try again?"

The problem is that plastic. Bees just plain don't like that stuff at all. You need to take it out of the hive and paint it with bees wax. Melt the burr comb down you have scarped off in a double boiler (*some thing you won't want to cook in again as it leaves a wax residue.) *While it is melted in the liquid state dip a paint brush in and cover as much of the insert as you can before the wax stiffens on the brush. Do all sides and all frames they have no drawn comb on at all.

You should not take one drop of honey this year. You will be lucky if they draw out all 20 frames and stock them for winter.

 Al


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