Adding a Honey Super to Your Stingless Bee Hive

Adding a honey super to your stingless bee hive

The sugar bag honey from native bees is divine and often described as liquid gold. After you have had your hive for 12 months the hive should be full of bees, honey pollen, and brood.  Typically the hive should weigh 7.5kg.

Below I have described the HOW TO of adding a honey super to your hive so you can enjoy a drizzle of honey on your vanilla ice cream!!.

bee hive

This is what your Sydney stingless bee hive looks like.  Remove the strapping from the hive using a drill remove the 4 screws on the top of the hive.

unscrew

Then remove the four screws in the corners of the hive.

insert hive tool

Using a hive tool pry of the lid to expose the hole in the top of the hive.

top of hole brood

Top of the hive.

add jar

Using strapping tape secure the bottom sections of the hive.  Place the honey jar on top of the hole.

The bees will deposit the honey into the jar.

add super

Place the honey super (3rd level) onto the hive.

You can check the honey jar in 4-6 weeks.  Every time you harvest the honey it will taste a little different because of the various flowers that are in bloom. Using a fork or your fingers puncture and squeeze the honey pots. Strain the honey through a tea strainer or mousseline fabric to remove dead bees and pollen.  You don’t want the pollen mixed with the honey as it changes the flavour and can ferment the honey.  Keep your “smackerel” of harvested honey in the fridge.

Delicious on vanilla ice cream to good for toast !!!

honey pot

11 replies on “Adding a Honey Super to Your Stingless Bee Hive

    • admin

      Hi Pam
      The hive has to be full of bees, honey, pollen and brood. The hive should have doubled in weight. If the hive is not full the bees will not deposit any excess honey in the honey super. If the hive is full you can add the honey super now.

      Reply
    • admin

      Hi Zena
      you can add the honey super when the hive is completely full of honey, bees, pollen and brood. Spring through summer is fine. During winter they will actually be consuming some honey as they won’t be foraging as much. If you add it to soon the bees will fill the jar with rubbish.

      Reply
  • Carlos Goncalves

    you mentioned the weight of the hive would be around the 7 kilos mark before a super can be introduced, is that correct?

    Reply
  • michael russell

    Hi Michelle
    I have just purchased my second empty hive with the intention to split the hive.
    Thank you it arrived so quickly.
    Should I introduce the super honey container or leave it for …….how long?
    Do I remove all the clear cellophane or just the round section under the honey pot?.
    Second empty hive arrived without the black plastic elbows at the bee entrance.
    Can i purchase these from Bunnings or do I need to get these from you?
    Thanking you Michael
    Michael

    Reply
  • Gayle Joyce

    What is the best way to harvest honey without killing too many bees? Do you have a video showing how to remove the super from the hive?

    Reply

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