“Indian” Summer next week?

[Codford]

With sunshine and temperatures up to 24/25C next week in the South West, I’m considering leaving the last few supers on in the hope of offsetting a rather dismal summer honey crop. Opinions, risks/potential benefits?

Over to the collective wisdom of the Forum…

 

[Wilco]

Depends if there's any sort of flow on. If there's no nectar about then good weather won't make a difference.

 

[JamezF]

The weather turned rubbish pretty much at the same time as the school Summer term ended. I posted only recently that it would improve again when term started. So next week then

James

 

[JamezF]

I'm seeing what might be the start of a third flush of dandelions at the moment. If the weather does get significantly warmer I wonder if some plants might behave as if they've been through winter and start to flower again?

James

 

[Curly green finger's]

I'm seeing what might be the start of a third flush of dandelions at the moment. If the weather does get significantly warmer I wonder if some plants might behave as if they've been through winter and start to flower again?

James

Same here james dandelions coming back among the clover that was grazed by the cattle now left to regrow.
The heather flow has been all over the place but still a week ago I had to put a fourth super on one of the heather colonys checking on the heather colony’s this Afternoon possibly putting clearer boards on .

 

[gregior]

All my supers (60) are still on in hope of getting a late bonanza from the balsam in the next week and looking at all the heavy landings today it could pay off! I love it when the bees are so full of nectar they don't make it to the landing board and need to have a little rest on the ground before trying again.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I don't think a week of 'good' weather at this time of the year is going to have very much effect at all

 

[drex]

My brood boxes are very light, but just put wet supers on for bees to clear up. I have just discovered a box and a half of brood frames full of stores, from when I consolidated hives prior to moving home. They are pretty wet, though capped some are bleeding honey. The wax is also old. When the wet supers come off, Should I just put these into the BB, leave the bees to clean them up, then take out old frames next spring, or put them on top with part open CB and get bees to take honey down into BB???

 

[Swarm]

All my supers (60) are still on in hope of getting a late bonanza from the balsam in the next week and looking at all the heavy landings today it could pay off! I love it when the bees are so full of nectar they don't make it to the landing board and need to have a little rest on the ground before trying again.View attachment 37504

Mine were giving it a bashing today, both pollen and nectar but my supers are all off and what they find now is theirs. It was so good to watch them flooding in.

 

[gregior]

Mine were giving it a bashing today, both pollen and nectar but my supers are all off and what they find now is theirs. It was so good to watch them flooding in.

Just inspected all mine at the 'balsam' apiary, tons of nectar being stored in the brood boxes but not so much being put in the supers.Most of the supers' center 6 frames are pretty full but the outside frames are mostly empty. The best thing about the balsam is it keeps all the wasps occupied,didn't see any around the apiary.

 

[Michael Palmer]

Indian summer here comes after the killing freezes. The weather has gotten cold and raw. It's a short spell of warm sunny weather before we get our first snows. So nice when the bee work is done for the year, to have a fine Indian summer to relax before it all hits the fan.

 

[RogerIvy]

I seem to recall watching a YouTube some time back (could be BMH) explains why one should not be tempted to keep the supers on beyond August in order to commence varroa treatment so the colony can prep for winter. … so are the supers worth it at this time of the year?

 

[gregior]

I seem to recall watching a YouTube some time back (could be BMH) explains why one should not be tempted to keep the supers on beyond August in order to commence varroa treatment so the colony can prep for winter. … so are the supers worth it at this time of the year?

Agreed but personally I'm happy to leave the supers on a bit later this year as the varroa numbers in my hives are low for some reason this year.

 

[OH honey]

With sunshine and temperatures up to 24/25C next week in the South West, I’m considering leaving the last few supers on in the hope of offsetting a rather dismal summer honey crop. Opinions, risks/potential benefits?

Over to the collective wisdom of the Forum…

Same. Supers on 2 hives already filling after being virtually empty through August, and stores also going in to BB. Will only delay varroa treatments by a week or so

 

[pargyle]

With sunshine and temperatures up to 24/25C next week in the South West, I’m considering leaving the last few supers on in the hope of offsetting a rather dismal summer honey crop. Opinions, risks/potential benefits?

Over to the collective wisdom of the Forum…

I was going to take mine off this weekend - there's a fair amount that's not capped and they are still bringing nectar in so, as the forecast for this week is going to be an indian summer I'm leaving it till next weekend (It's less convenient but it might give them a bit of time to finish filling and cap the cells). Still plenty of time to build them up for winter down here on the South Coast. Even when it's been grim weather its not been cold.

 

[Sutty]

I'm away for the next 3 weeks+, still a HB flow on and lots of ivy in the area, most hives still have supers, will be interesting to see the state of play when I get back. I won't start treating until then which is a bit late, though I recently vapes 2 hives while supers were off to extract & only small drops at 48hrs

 

[madasafish]

September honey is for the bees here. Weather is too erratic to risk supers now. (We saw 8C overnight in July this year: the norm being 15 to 20C). All supers off or nadired: a honey flow now will reduce need to feed.

 

[Sutty]

One of mine is humming tonight!

 

[Gilberdyke John]

I seem to recall watching a YouTube some time back (could be BMH) explains why one should not be tempted to keep the supers on beyond August in order to commence varroa treatment so the colony can prep for winter. … so are the supers worth it at this time of the year?

Just thinking back to one of RABs sage contributions. Beekeeping is not a calendar based occupation .

 

[Erichalfbee]

Just thinking back to one of RABs sage contributions. Beekeeping is not a calendar based occupation .

I miss him.
His wife was seriously ill and he isn't in the best of health either