What feature characterizes an effective honey super?

An effective honey super is characterized by the presence of a queen excluder. This is crucial because the queen excluder prevents the queen bee from moving up into the honey super, where honey is stored for harvesting. By keeping the queen in the lower brood boxes, the honey super remains free of brood, ensuring that the honey extracted is pure and not mixed with bee larvae or eggs. This separation is essential for maintaining honey quality and facilitating easier harvesting.

Additionally, while other considerations can be made regarding the materials used in the super, the painting of the super, or whether it is emptied during the season, the specific function of a queen excluder is vital for effective honey production. This allows beekeepers to manage colonies better and secure high-quality honey without contamination from brood.