Hello Steve & All,

Bob, How thin are we talking here?  1 to 1 or even thinner?
thinner. Thin enough to ferment ( thin as nectar) if not used right away.
The syrup (usually fed a gallon at a time) needs removed from feeder within
24 hours. Timing is important. Beekeeping is all about timing!

> Is there a
diference between trying to get comb drawn in the fall and in the spring?

Need to draw comb (as pointed out by Peter B.) and the temperature effects
comb drawing. Both are of equal concern. Need ( nectar flow or feeding)
effecting the most and temp effecting the speed of drawing.

I am getting ready to get some new comb drawn this week in supers which I
have been  waiting to get drawn for three years. All conditions are right in
my opinion.

1. strong hives
2.strong flow
3. temps in high 80's F. ( above 90F. I see less comb drawn due to the
number of bees being used to circulate air in the hive).

Some crowding is needed so checks of progress needs done every five to seven
days . Also you need to make sure the queen has plenty of room to lay in
brood nest.

I have got friends in the Dakota's and Peace River district of Canada which
get a honey production average I can only dream about without any effort at
all.

In my area I have to work at getting a *big* honey crop. I do believe
intense management can double your crop many times. Staying ahead of the
bees is work but once they plug those supers they STOP or plug the brood
nest!

Stacking supers ( My friend George Imirie recommended method) can help
swarming but will never replace proper management of supers *if* wanting a
maximum crop.

We have had two drought years and my surplus of backup honey for my markets
is gone. For the next six weeks my main concern is producing honey.
Water white honey!

Stacking supers allows the weaker hive to simply chimney up the center
causing honey house congestion. Also putting a certain amount of supers on
limits the hive which would produce maybe twice the amount of honey those
supers would hold.

When I was larger and had plenty of honey in the warehouse I used the Imirie
method but lost many supers of honey I could have had, had many of my best
hives swarm due to bees plugging the brood nest with nectar and had many
supers brought into the honey processing area with only the middle frames
containing honey.

The Aebi brothers still have got the best book on producing record amount of
honey from a hive. I also believe they *may* still hold the "Guinness book
of records" record for *documented* honey production from a single hive. I
throughout the years may have had a hive outproduce *randomly* the Guinness
record hive but it is quite a feat to call in the Guinness people at the
start and say this hive is going to produce over 400 pounds of honey and
then set the record.
The record proves in my opinion that management plays a part in record honey
crops UNLESS you live in an area well known for consistent record crops.
Even then what could the record be with intense management.
bob


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