# How long dies it take to fill a ten frame medium super with no comb on the frames?



## Big Mike (Apr 17, 2016)

Hi Folks, This is my first post on Bee Source. This is my second year in Bee Keeping and I had two hives through the winter and added two in the past month. The first two seem dossal and the two new nucs (I transferred to ten frame deeps two weeks ago) are quite active. these two new colonies filled out their respective frames in their broods in less than two weeks with no comb on the additional five frames.

That being said, how long does it take a healthy active colony to fill out a ten frame comb less medium super during the main nectar flow fro the year? I live in Northern Alabama. I added the medium supers to these two hives on Saturday and I have heard anywhere from two days to two weeks. 

Thanks,

Big Mike


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## Riverderwent (May 23, 2013)

Big Mike said:


> Hi Folks, This is my first post on Bee Source.


Welcome!



> That being said, how long does it take a healthy active colony to fill out a ten frame comb less medium super during the main nectar flow fro the year?


The amount of time varies depending on a number of factors such as local land use and weather. At this time in your location with the expected weather, and assuming you mean drawing out, filling, curing, and capping a ten frame medium of honey, two and a half weeks from today is probably a good estimate. Do you know the difference between a guess and an estimate? With better weather than I think you are about to have, a week.



> Thanks,


De nada.


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## Big Mike (Apr 17, 2016)

Riverderwent said:


> Welcome!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


David,

Thanks for the quick reply. I just came back from inspecting each hive and the most active two seem to be making some initial progress. The two hives from last year look like they filled out their deep brude and are the bees are crawling around the frames on the medium super but not drawing out much at all. I guess I will be patient and just check the hives weekly. One other question, is there any drawbacks to putting an extra medium super on the more active hives when they have not completely filled out what is on the stack?

Thanks again,

Big Mike


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## AmericasBeekeeper (Jan 24, 2010)

Welcome Mike!


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## Riverderwent (May 23, 2013)

Big Mike said:


> One other question, is there any drawbacks to putting an extra medium super on the more active hives when they have not completely filled out what is on the stack?


You are in an area where small hive beetles are an issue. In my location, when a colony has too large an area for the number of bees to defend beetles can become an issue. I generally add a box when the top box is sixty to eighty percent built out and filled. Since I use eight frame medium boxes, I sometimes add two boxes at a time if the colony is large and there is a strong honey flow going on.


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## Big Mike (Apr 17, 2016)

Thanks David,

I will check my hives for hive bettles later this week when I check the progress being made on the supers. Have you had to treat for hive bettles? I picked up some troughs that are placed between two frames and filled with vegetable oil to drown the bettles if they are found. Any other suggestions that are effective?

Mike


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## Riverderwent (May 23, 2013)

Big Mike said:


> Have you had to treat for hive bettles?


No. When I first saw beetles I thought it was a big deal. I used plastic troughs a time or two. They were nasty and a lot of trouble. Now I just keep the hives in full morning and midday sun, make sure that I don't leave too many empty boxes on the hive, and keep the entrances reasonably small on smaller hives. I still see a few beetles, but they are not a particular problem as long as the hive stays healthy and does not have other problems (like me rolling a queen). They did come into play when I first tried to use mating nucs with just "a teacup of bees" to support the queen. That simply is not an option in my location.


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## Big Mike (Apr 17, 2016)

Riverderwent said:


> No. When I first saw beetles I thought it was a big deal. I used plastic troughs a time or two. They were nasty and a lot of trouble. Now I just keep the hives in full morning and midday sun, make sure that I don't leave too many empty boxes on the hive, and keep the entrances reasonably small on smaller hives. I still see a few beetles, but they are not a particular problem as long as the hive stays healthy and does not have other problems (like me rolling a queen). They did come into play when I first tried to use mating nucs with just "a teacup of bees" to support the queen. That simply is not an option in my location.


David,

Where are you located?


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## Riverderwent (May 23, 2013)

Big Mike said:


> David,
> 
> Where are you located?


In the northwest corner of Louisiana. Where the tide doesn't roll.


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## Big Mike (Apr 17, 2016)

Riverderwent said:


> In the northwest corner of Louisiana. Where the tide doesn't roll.


My son used to live in Baton Rouge close to LSU before taking a job to move to the Carolinas. I hope we have a bumper crop here in the South this year for all of us.

Big Mike


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