What is a honey super in a beehive?

A honey super is specifically designed as a section of a beehive where bees store honey. This compartment is added above the brood chamber, which contains the queen and her brood. It is essential for the honey production process because it provides the bees with additional space to store surplus honey produced from the nectar they collect. The honey super typically has smaller cells than other parts of the hive, making it ideal for honey storage and facilitating easier harvesting.

The design and purpose of the honey super are crucial as they help prevent bees from overcrowding in the brood chamber and ensure that the colony can thrive without exhausting their available resources. When beekeepers manage their hives, they monitor the honey super for honey production and can extract the honey without disturbing the brood, benefiting both the bees and the beekeeper.