How to remove a nadir?

[ShinySideUp]

I have a nadir on one of my hives that was full of honey at the end of the season and I think it might be time to remove it before the queen starts laying in it (assuming she hasn't).

Should I remove it when the weather is cold so the bees are in a cluster above it (in the 14 x 12 brood box) and assuming the bees have clustered in the upper levels. Or on a warm day when I can remove it and leave it alongside the hive so the bees can make their way back home without freezing?

 

[Michael Palmer]

Why remove it?

 

[DerbyBee]

Just sit back and read a good book until April

 

[For want of a better word]

Why remove it?

In a large volume 14 x 12 brood box the bees will be well away from the nadired super... so leave it or remove it... decision is yours!

There is always the option to use a Harris board... a spacer board that goes between the nadired super to be cleared of stores and the brood on top... has a sliding entrance that can be opened or closed... plus a 4 inch hole in center so bees can move stores up bees... slider at front acts as a second entrance... original entrance left completely open ( mouse guarded if you have a mouse problem)
I use them in the spring.

Yeghes da

 

[Hebeegeebee]

Leave 'till spring. It's fairly unlikely that the queen will be laying in it especially with a 14 x 12 brood box.

 

[drex]

Leave till spring. They will be well towards the top of the hive now. Won't start moving down until it starts to warm up in spring

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

This time of the year I shall be mostly deciding whether to drink gin or malt whisky.
early spring, when the bees are active again I turn up at the apiary with a spare floor, put that next to the nadired hive, remove the roof then simply loosen the brood box and move over to the spare floor, move the nadired shallow and old floor to one side and move the brood box to the original position - job done. You can then leave any bees left in the shallow to find their way back to the hive, give the spare floor a quick clean and use that for the next hive to be sorted.

 

[ShinySideUp]

OK, I think I'll leave it until about March and hope Mrs Q hasn't started laying in it.

 

[Poly Hive]

First of all, why would you think she would be laying? Here we have just had 12 days or so of hard frost. I am pretty sure (as sure as I can be) my queens are off lay on hols and probably sunning themselves in Goa.

You may not be aware that queens like to start at the top and work down so even less chance of them even thinking of using that space until oh. May possibly?

PH

 

[ShinySideUp]

Oh I don't think she is laying, I just wanted to be sure it was out before she started laying. Last thing I want is a brood and a half to have to search through for the queen come Spring, I have enough trouble as it is.

 

[enrico]

You don't have to search through both, you put a qe between brood and nadir and where the eggs are in four days time is the box the queen is in. If that is the brood then put the nadir above a QE and let the brood emerge, if it is in the nadir then it is a small box to find the queen in and slip her in the brood box and once again move the nadir above a QE for any brood to emerge. The most important thing is to do this before drones are laid as they get trapped over the QE. You are overthinking things. Keep it simple and try and think of easy methods to do something! I need things to be super simple for my tired mind!!!!

 

[drex]

I agree with enrico. As already said the queen will start laying towards top of hive and work her way down. Doubt whether she will have reached the bottom box by the time of your first spring inspection. That is the time to sort it out, not now. If there is brood in the bottom box then sort it as per enrico.
I remember in my early days it was difficult to stop myself fiddling with the bees in the winter, but it is much better for them to be left in peace.
Online winter sales coming up, then all the stuff to put together, getting fresh frames ready, and then it will soon be time for that first look see.
If itching, read a good bee book.