Adding honey supers or honey combs to the bee hive
Adding new supers or honey combs to the hives plays a main role in starting or boosting the production, especially when the original ones are already full, and avoid/reduce swarming tendency. However, it is important to identify the right timing for adding new combs/supers, especially if they are built combs or wax foundations.
The suitable hive for receiving additional honeycombs should have:
- abundant bees on all frames,
- brood on at least 80% of the frames and
- honey storage in the nest combs.
The best timing is when there is a good nectar flow. To check the nectar flow, a beekeeper can shake a frame slightly and see if drops of nectar fall out.
Warnings: May depend on the regulations in force in the given country.
Please check out the B-THENET Platform for the Best Beekeeping Practices tailored to each country, co-developed with practicing beekeepers in the National B-THENET Centres of those countries (Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden).
BEST PRACTICES AND INNOVATIONS FOR A SUSTAINABLE BEEKEEPING
Ongoing | 2022-2026
- Main funding source
- Horizon Europe (EU Research and Innovation Programme)
- Geographical location
- Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden