Capped super of stores above or below ?

[Dadnlad]

I've browsed numerous old threads but can't find a definitive answer

Midweek my single brood national still had 5/6 frames of brood with obviously less than the ideal amount of stores put by in the brood box. However they have a full super of capped ivy+syrup on top.
Feeding has slowed right down, and with overnight temperatures due to fall to single figures next week, I'll be replacing their feeder with insulation and tucking them up for winter.

Should I leave their super of extra stores on above the bb (on the basis they will move up into it after finishing bb stores) - or put the super of stores under the bb so the bb is accessible for OA treatment ?

 

[Heather]

Bit late in the day, but I would stick below.

 

[sharonh]

I've browsed numerous old threads but can't find a definitive answer

Midweek my single brood national still had 5/6 frames of brood with obviously less than the ideal amount of stores put by in the brood box. However they have a full super of capped ivy+syrup on top.
Feeding has slowed right down, and with overnight temperatures due to fall to single figures next week, I'll be replacing their feeder with insulation and tucking them up for winter.

Should I leave their super of extra stores on above the bb (on the basis they will move up into it after finishing bb stores) - or put the super of stores under the bb so the bb is accessible for OA treatment ?

If you want to get your super back to use for next year, you put it under the bb. That way the bees will move the stores up, and you can retrieve your super back all cleared out by the bees in spring.
You can leave it above bb, but the Queen will probably start laying in it in new year when she resumes laying. Also as bees move upwards anyway, it would be harder to take away.
If you plan to put under, pick a fairly still day,
Make sure you have Queen excluder removed for the winter also.
Regards
Sharon

 

[Erichalfbee]

Normally I'd put below

Bit late in the day, but I would stick below.

Mmmmm yes....could it be a bit late to expect bees to uncap the stores, dilute them (especially the ivy) and move them up?

This late in the season I'd be tempted to leave as is (no excluder) and the bees will move up to the stores where they would naturally keep them.

If you have 5/6 frames of brood this late they might well need brood and a half next year anyway.


Sorry......you have answers to nadir and super

 

[Amari]

I've browsed numerous old threads but can't find a definitive answer

If you had found a definitive answer it would be the first time ever on this forum!
I put my capped supers below BBs one week ago. Never had problem of failure to mobilise these stores but interesting point raised in post above - ? danger of stores getting isolated.

 

[enrico]

They don't have to move them up. If the bb is full then they will use the super first if it is under the bb. As the brood emerges they may well fill the gap by moving the stores up if the weather is warm enough.
Ie, put the super under the bb.... I would!
E

 

[beekeeping4you]

If the bb is full then they will use the super first if it is under the bb.

...5/6 frames of brood with obviously less than the ideal amount of stores put by in the brood box.

• Leave super where it is? (full super of capped ivy+syrup)
• Bees will move up and could be in ideal position when it's time for OA?

Regards
Reiner

 

[For want of a better word]

Makes no difference at all, if you had 400 to do I expect you would leave them bee !



I have overwintered bees with a super of stores on top, and nadired below,
put a brood box with stores from another colony under, but not above.
Have even merged a q- colony on top with newspaper and left the brood box in place over winter.
One at present has a merged colony in a brood box above the first q+ colony below with a super of stores between, and another super at the bottom!.... quite a tall polly, but well strapped down.
Do not worry you can not in this case get it wrong!

What do you mean as bees being in the ideal position for OA ?...........

... belly up?

 

[rockdoc]

No, there is no definitive to this one. I asked a similar question a few weeks back and got a mixed response. I have decided to go with the super under as it worked for me last winter. Its also easier to remove the super when its empty in spring without dismantling the hive too much.

 

[Dishmop]

Also as bees move upwards anyway, it would be harder to take away.

Its natural for bees to move upwards because thats where they store their food when there is no more room downstairs in the area that they use in the summer for brood.
Coming up to winter there is less or no brood at all so they fill the centre of that area with honey, and when there is no room left there they should start filling any area above that.
They dont actually eat a great deal during the main part of the winter, but when the temperture rises a bit in the spring (we hope) they need the energy for flying and foraging, and thats when they eat the most.
When the queen starts laying, she will start in the centre of the brood area and therefore this food gets eaten first to make way for eggs. As this food gets eaten, the bees then move up to the food upstairs....


if you think of it in reverse.......if a swarm moved into a tree, they start building comb at the top and move down, the comb being filled with eggs and stores. The queen goes down with the new comb and the old cells at the top are filled with honey. In winter, they slowly move back up again to the food and the process starts again..

However, we dont let them do this because its convenient for us to collect their honey store room off the top of the hive and leave them with only the brood area to put food for the winter.

 

[Tonyatcwfarm]

I think below the BB is suggested mostly as we know the result of the action in spring ie.empty super
I think someone who has supered over should answer to the outcome and action required come spring

 

[beekeeping4you]

What do you mean as bees being in the ideal position for OA ?...........

... belly up?

Yes!

...and the "funny ha ha fraternity" hits again?

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showpost.php?p=356305&postcount=1

 

[Lee Smeaton]

I am in a similar position, same size colony and stores situation. I still have a feeder on top and am feeding constantly. Even today in the wind they are still bringing in pollen. I am going to leave them to it rather than disturb them.

As its a Poly hive I was thinking of leaving the feeder section on and putting a cover box of 80mm kingspan over the whole lot. That way if I need to add fondant I wont have to mess about opening the whole hive up. I also think that if I were to add raw sugar then the condensation in the top of the hive would be absorbed by the sugar making it easier to deal with

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Yes!

...and the "funny ha ha fraternity" hits again?

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showpost.php?p=356305&postcount=1

 

[Hebeegeebee]

I have to ask why people are inspecting and dealing with their stocks so late in the year?

 

[mbc]

 

[Dishmop]

I have to ask why people are inspecting and dealing with their stocks so late in the year?

Nothing on the telly?