This year we have changed our methods and are -- for the first time
in 20 years or more, not using queen excluders.  The elevated honey
price has to do with this.   We figure we'll get enough more honey to
justify the added nuisance and expense -- if any.
 
Anyhow, with excluders, we would just go out at the end of June and
throw on all the supers we own and go away for few weeks.  Then we
would go back and re-distribute them to the hives that were doing
best.  And then we'd start extracting and replacing them from the
honey house.
 
This year, though we've felt the need to super one box at a time,
paying attention to the stage of completion of the previous box, and
the population apparent both at the door and on the top bars.  This
requires visits with supers at intervals of a week or so, since a
flow can hit at any time.
 
I'd be interested to know what other people look for and any tricks
they use to decide when to super -- as well as how many they put on
at once.  Does having foundation in the centre of the thirds and
fourths affect that decision?
 
With excluders, we tried to take the standards off when they were at
about 50 to 55 pounds total (30 to 35 pounds net).  We figure using
this system, that we should allow a little more completion before
pulling, maybe averaging 60 to 70 pounds total weight.
 
We are also using an uncapper again, and do not mind if some of the
honey -- or all of it for that matter -- is capped, whereas in
previous years we always tried to get it before it was capped.
 
Our main flow is usually July 20th to August 8th or so and gives 100
to 180 pounds (usually on the lower end of the range).  Of course
individual hives make 300 pounds plus, but the average is less.  At
present some hives are in four boxes and a number have filled the
thirds, but not to the point where they are fat and capped.
 
After the flow, we go back to four boxes high until the end of
August, snice some years provide a flow all august, and then we
usually remove the remainder of the supers  and start feeding.
 
I'd appreciate any discussion on this and imagine it would be of
interest to others as well.
 
Thanks in advance for any ideas and tips.
 
 
 
Regards
 
Allen
 
W. Allen Dick, Beekeeper                                         VE6CFK
RR#1, Swalwell, Alberta  Canada T0M 1Y0
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