On Sat, 9 Nov 1996, Gerry Visel wrote:
> Are TBHs supered? If the bars themselves make the top cover, they
> would need to be spaced to be supered. Otherwise, I guess they could go
> longer?
Gerry, I'm not clear on the meaning of your second sentence. Perhaps the
following comments will clear up your questions.
TBH's can be supered if one is willing to lift supers. I put a notch on
one side of the center of each of my tb's. Notch is about 3/8x3/4 inches.
Though I normally keep the notches covered, I sometimes open some toward
the front for more entrances or in the winter for ventilation. These
notches can provide holes for movement into a super. If a bar is removed
at the front or really in any place, then there is a large gap whereby
bees can move up easily. This can result in combs being drawn out thickly
on either side of the space and a replacement comb being inserted. To
keep spacing, I have made up a queen excluder top bar which provides good
access and with comb built below the bar, proper comb space is maintained.
I've done a little supering, but mostly with 5-bar deep supers which I've
used in queen rearing to get queen cells finished or started. A 5-bar
super on top of a 5-bar nuc works well to get combs drawn for expansion
of colonies or replacing old combs.
If bars are shifted, removed when capped, honey cut off the bar, and the
bar replaced, there's no need to super. I have tried a couple of 10-bar
shallow supers, and they do work well...but they are additional pieces of
equipment that require storing when they aren't in use, etc.
Cordially yours,
Jim
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| James D. Satterfield | E-Mail: [log in to unmask] |
| --------------------------------
| 258 Ridge Pine Drive Canton is about 40 mi/64 km |
| Canton, GA 30114, USA north of Atlanta, Georgia USA |
| Telephone (770) 479-4784 |
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