Every region had its peculiar problems, the solution of which may seem strange to beekeepers in other climates ; but all of us can learn from the others in more ways that we sometimes think possible. The more we know of the practices in other areas the better for all. An interesting example is the practice of top-supering. It is only recently that it has been generally adopted in the Middle West (U.S.), but here, in the San Joaquin Valley, the top-supering method has been used for close to 40 years. The belief that bees would take a fresh super of combs better if added just above the brood nest is probably a hand-over from comb-honey production, where the oldest sections were put on top so that they would not become travel-stained. Though Root's A.B.C., for 1940, now advocates top-supering for comb-honey production also, in spite of the danger of travel-stain. 



Lots here to digest,  I would say in my yard the concept of top supering is dead.   Undersupering is the only thing I allow.

Reasons are simple  but long on explanation.  In areas where the flow is not continuous(such as the Alberta paper cited) many, many, many, many times when the flow stops they will completely ignore the top empty and treat is as the top of the hive.  Settling in below and backfilling the brood nest ( clearing some of that now in my yards)

They will also at times ignore that under super,  but  not nearly as often.

Beekeeping is local,    but finding and excuse to be lazy is universal!  (my opinion)

This is not based on a small scale test done with a scale,  but many years of observation on large numbers of hives.  If pressed I would say 25% more  with nadair.


Charles

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