Mary says
 
>         I'm new to beekeeping and I was informed from an experienced
>         beekeeper that I need to examine my hive (once a week) and
>         destroy any cells that are being created into queens or
>         drones.  Is this true?  If so, how can I tell.   Also,
>         for a new hive, how much honey should I get from it in an
>         average year.  I am also taking the wax.  I have a regualr
>         hive with a queen excluder and a small super on top.  How
>         often will the bees fill it up?  Is there any problems on
>         taking the top super off and removing the honey.  Someone
>         told me that if I did this the bees would get confused
>         because they would have no where to put the honey.  Do I
>         wait until it is totally full before I remove the honey?
>         Thanks
 
          This small text suggest a lot of questions and answers you can
find in a good beekeeping book ...
 
To resume ...
 
1/ " ... created into queens "  in presence of the queen -> to destroy
                                otherwise you'll get a swarm
          in absence of the queen : swarming or lost (dead or kill)
          -> don't destroy, but do observe closely the hatching, etc...
 
2/ " ... created into drones "  don't worry about them (the bees need a few
          in the nest : in Europ, some are using a system to control them but
          it not the subjet here) but do replace one or two frames each year
          (you'll take the wax) and choose the most drones combs.
 
3/ " how much honey ...? "  the answer this question is another question ...
          " how many flowers in your country ?  flowers to do honey flow(s) ?
          Some flowers give a lot of nectar, some give nothing.  The weather
          is important (generally the better is wet AND hot).
    => In your account, don't forget the plaisure seeing and doing with bees.
 
4/ " taking the top super off ..."
      o  Normally there is no problem on taking the super off because you
         are doing this when the honey flow is finished.
      o  It seems to me a good idea to have a second super you put in place
         of that you are taking.
      o  It is even also a good idea, if the honey flow is not finished,
         to put the second super (to make place for the nectar) below the first
         before to remove them.
 
Regards
 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Jean-Marie Van Dyck                    Fax +32 81 72 42 72
 B.P. 102                               email : [log in to unmask]
 B-5000     NAMUR(Belgium)              Medical school - Biochemistry dept
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------