My first attempt at beekeeping did not survive the MI winter. I had two brood boxes and never got any honey last year. The bees were busy building frames and then storing honey for themselves. After they perished, I harvested the frames and stored them.
This spring I got another pack of bees (not a Nuc since I had all the frames). I put them into the brood box with two frames half filled with honey from last year. Several weeks later they were filling up 60-70% of the box. So I added the second brood box and put in the rest of the frames I had. Two more frames were pretty full of honey.
I was pretty excited that I would get lots of honey as they did not need to spend all their energy building frames this year–and they were starting with a bit of honey!
The bees have been thriving all summer and I added the Honey Super three weeks ago. I have seen 10-20 bees up there where I peek in the windows but that is all. No honey!?! So, I inspected the hive a few days ago and there is a ton of capped brood. Also, they seem to have filled the four frames that were half full of honey.
I am waiting to treat for mites until I have harvested honey, but it is now August and I am not seeing honey in the super. The bees look happy and healthy, no beetles or other bugs. Anticipating some honey…
Did I put the Super on too soon?
Should I put the Super on BEFORE the second brood box, get my honey from the early flow, then put the 2nd brood box on?
Any thoughts?