Brood boxes with few stores

[alancooper]

My inspections after recent super extraction showed BIAS and high population densities but very few stores in my apiary. Wet supers are on each hive. Now that Ivy is starting to flower in the small farm field, hedged landscape and the weather is set for dry warm weather I am dithering as to whether to leave a super on each hive to get the usually good yield in supers and brood boxes during Sept. Normally the Ivy is productive enough that I do not need to feed Sept syrup, with fondant going on in January. The sensible decision is to leave the super off but will Ivy also be stored preferentially in the brood box?

 

[Erichalfbee]

will Ivy also be stored preferentially in the brood box?

If the nest is contracting then yes.
If not then no.
Is there any backfilling in the broods?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I wouldn't leave the supers on - what would you achieve? leave them store it in the brood box ready for winter.

 

[ericbeaumont]

leave the super off

Yes.

If the flow is monumental you can always add a box, but depending on the presence of varroa treatment.

 

[jimmiestan]

If the nest is contracting then yes.
If not then no.
Is there any backfilling in the broods?

Could you please explain to nearly-newbie me what "backfilling" is? TIA

 

[user 819]

Back filling is where emerged brood is replaced by nectar stores esp if storage space is short or there is a major flow on.

 

[user 819]

Stores in the BB is more important now then wanting supers filled, as Eric has said if the ivy flow (when it arrives proper) is very heavy then by all means add a super if it means laying space is compromised too much.

I have brood stores over from last winter and these are now being placed in some colonies that are short on stores, I have had two colonies that have had less then 8lbs of store so these have had some deep store frames added to tie them over.

 

[jimmiestan]

Back filling is where emerged brood is replaced by nectar stores esp if storage space is short or there is a major flow on.

Ahh, right, many thanks.

 

[user 819]

The most dramatic case of back filling is mid/late spring in to early summer following a Demarree action, one often quickly sees the emrged brood very quickly replaced by stores.

 

[user 819]

For the Autumn Ivy imv one is best to place another BB on the colony with no QX and let them fill BF's with stores so they can be stored for the following year, having spare sealed stores is handy to have at hand if ever needed.

 

[Eyeman]

If the brood box has little to no stores with brood still to feed then they can starve really quickly if you take the honey supers off. If in doubt take supers off & give then a temporary feed whist waiting for ivy flow. This is what I’m doing for my colonies since supers came off for varroa treatment. A feed will also keep the queen laying and stop the bees cannibalising the brood.

 

[alancooper]

If the nest is contracting then yes.
If not then no.
Is there any backfilling in the broods?

There is no obvious brood nest contraction, with double and single brood box colonies teaming with bees. This is a feature which contributed to leaving the supers on ( I have had swarming in August in previous seasons). Today Ivy pollen loads were frequent and with the weather set fine I will probably leave the supers on.

I wouldn't leave the supers on - what would you achieve? leave them store it in the brood box ready for winter.

Taking the supers off after they were cleaned up was my first thought but the the colonies were crowded and doing this seemed to be a swarming risk.

Thanks all - for the guidance. I will let you know how things turn out.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Alan.
I have one colony that its huge, despite emptying a whole super of bees to make a nuc. I have left my super on for now and I'm scratching my head as to what to do. They need to be vaped so I have reserved the spun off unripe honey just for them and I'm vaping over the super and feeding.
I should have put the super under but I didn't.
I'll have a look later to see where they have put the honey