Brood in supers

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Black Comb

Queen Bee
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I have brood in some supers (queen slipped through the excluder).
She's now confined to the B/B.

When they have all hatched can I use these frames as "normal" super frames?

BTW, I did a search on here,couldn't find the answer.
Nor in De Bruyn, but Hooper says OK to use but more susceptible to wax moth in future, but I'd like to hear forum comments as some of the Hooper info. is a little out of date.
 
I have brood in some supers (queen slipped through the excluder).
She's now confined to the B/B.

When they have all hatched can I use these frames as "normal" super frames?

BTW, I did a search on here,couldn't find the answer.
Nor in De Bruyn, but Hooper says OK to use but more susceptible to wax moth in future, but I'd like to hear forum comments as some of the Hooper info. is a little out of date.
More susceptible to wax moth? probably .
My personal experience with wax moth has been a disaster :mad:.
After 3 non-summers in a row , I had 25 supers in storage that weren't used for 18 months , they have never seen an egg never mind brood but have been ravaged by bl**dy wax moth :nopity:.
Every cloud has a silver lining :nature-smiley-016:, the blue tits nesting in my bird box appreciated the wax moth larvae and cocoons !
Also the remnants of wax have produced some very nice candles .

John Wilkinson
 
More susceptible to wax moth? probably .
My personal experience with wax moth has been a disaster :mad:.
After 3 non-summers in a row , I had 25 supers in storage that weren't used for 18 months , they have never seen an egg never mind brood but have been ravaged by bl**dy wax moth :nopity:.
Every cloud has a silver lining :nature-smiley-016:, the blue tits nesting in my bird box appreciated the wax moth larvae and cocoons !
Also the remnants of wax have produced some very nice candles .

John Wilkinson


Did you store your supers with any acetic acid treatment John or just 'as they were'? Also, did you leave any openings/cracks for the moth to enter?
 
I know it's a bit early to be discussing super storage for the winter but this topic came up last autumn and I gave sulphur strips a try. Stacks of 6 with joins sealed with masking tape, couple of strips burnt on top of each stack every 6 weeks - result excellent - came back into use as they went in and are now being filled/full :)
 
Actually, this is the first attack on supers in 20 odd years of beekeeping .
I use 80% acetic acid before storage . In this case I reckon that 18 months without checking was a stupid omission :mad:.

John Wilkinson
 
all very interesting chaps but do you use these super frames as "normal" frames?
 
I don't, but accept that I might be being a bit fussy. I like the super frames to be and look clean. I mark the frames and would then use them if I want to go onto a brood and a half, or to pop them into the BB to get drone brood underneath for culling.
 
all very interesting chaps but do you use these super frames as "normal" frames?

You can do, I personally wouldn't use them for honey production but I tend to leave a super of honey per hive to overwinter on so I'd probably just mark them up and use them for that purpose instead.
 
all very interesting chaps but do you use these super frames as "normal" frames?

I over wintered a colony on brood and a half, once the brood had hatched I returned the super to 'honey' use, no descernable difference in condition, capacity or hygiene of honey extracted compared to an 'un-laid-in' super extracted at the same time (last week as it happens)

:sifone:
 
all very interesting chaps but do you use these super frames as "normal" frames?
I presume your question to mean do I use supers as honey storage or extra brood area ,if so the answer is honey storage (Never had eggs or brood in there )

John Wilkinson
 
Did you store your supers with any acetic acid treatment John or just 'as they were'? Also, did you leave any openings/cracks for the moth to enter?

I used acetic acid treatment before storage but 18 months later the inevitable happened . As for gaps , I'm sure wax moth can squirt eggs through the smallest gaps ,after all I had sheets of newsprint between each super to make up for any irregularities . Next time I shall place each super into a plastic bag after acid treatment !
Once bitten twice shy :bigear:

John Wilkinson
 
John,

Freeze them for a day or so and then bag them securely in bin liners. I have strapped boxes of frames together to keep the gaps closed up tight. It works, I think. I burned sulphur strips this last winter but I don't think any treatment was necessary during the cold spell! Certainly less smoke loss when pulled down tight with a couple of ratchet straps. It cost me more in masking tape than sulphur strips!

Regards, RAB
 
all very interesting chaps but do you use these super frames as "normal" frames?

I just pulled 70+ lbs off a deep Langstroth brood box, frames a couple of years old, that they had decided to use to store honey, then they swarmed! even though plenty of room. I haven't died yet so I guess OK. Don't use bad chemicals in the boxes just powdered sugar and thymol strips.
 

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