> I saw an operation where honey super bees and all ... worked very well
> for increases....
 
We have done this and still continue to do so, but I am not certain of the
value of the bees that come from the supers.
 
Seems they tend to be pretty old and don't contribute as well as one
might think to increasing the brood in the nuc, and although we do add
plenty of these bees to splits we keep in the yard for that purpose, the
resulting hives never seem to do as well as the large populations would
indicate -- either in terms of honey getting, or in wintering
 
Nevertheless, it is a good idea, and we continue to do it.  The nucs do
come along faster than they would on their own, and do forage well.
 
One of the reasons we put these bees to use is we would find it hard to
just kill or hose  those bees that ride along with the honey down the
drain like some beekeepers do.
 
Allen
 
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