heather honey at last but now too many bees?

[Birnambeekeeper]

My new site is up high and is surrounded by heather so took off a very full super tonight of my first lot of heather honey. Very pleased but there were just a ridiculous amount of bees pouring out of the hive and i wondered if they would actually all fit back in since i'd taken off the super. In the BB there were still eggs and and brood of all stages covering about 4-5 frames and wild comb everywhere. I put 2 gallons of heavy syrup on.

Should i give them more space? Another brood box? (its a new zealand strain queen)

Advice as always very much appreciated

 

[Rosti]

I would transport them back with a super in place and remove it when numbers had dropped (judge via inspection). I would also whip that 2 gallons off as well. Leaving it in place now runs the risk of them filling up the available brood area with syrup, curtailing laying over the next couple of weeks giving you older bees going into winter. Perhaps a couple of litres to provide nourishment and keep the queen in lay but no more. Repeat 'mini-feed' if they are light on stores in a weeks time and then start winter feed build up in earnest in 2 / 3 weeks time if you have a good area of capped brood to move forward with (weather dependent granted). Even if you have a good ivy flow I would feed and rather they filled up with syrup than ivy that could turn to bricks and not be utilised later in the year.

 

[Birnambeekeeper]

Maybe I've been feeding too soon this year - I've been late before so I thought get it done early. All my other hives also have the feed on and been there for 2 weeks now. I will nip up to ths lot though and get more space to them. Will let you know thanks a lot