Overwintered super

[nessabee]

I started last year with one colony in an Abelo hive & left a super on top of brood box for them overwinter (no queen excluder) as I treated with Varromed in January i don’t want to use it for human consumption
All seems good but as I’ve not been able to fully inspect because of the awful weather I’m trying to figure out how to deal with the super when I can check what’s happening ( on reflection i don’t think I’d do this again)
When I am able to inspect if the queen is laying in the super can I switch it under the brood box with QE on ( making sure the queen is in the brood box ) until bees go up?
If no eggs in super can I just take it straight off & replace with a new super with foundation ?
I am thinking this as I’m surrounded by apple orchards & will need to put super on soon
Also seems that they are very strong & will be overcrowded pretty soon so planning to split ASAP
I would welcome any suggestions

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

When I am able to inspect if the queen is laying in the super can I switch it under the brood box with QE on ( making sure the queen is in the brood box ) until bees go up?

No, Basically. they should have eaten the stores by now so when you go I should think the queen will be laying in there, as well as in the brood. Just find the queen, make sure she's in the brood box and then put the excluder back in. As the brood emerges in the super the bees will backfill with honey so you're good to go.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Varromed is Oxalic and Formic acid and there is no reason to not use the super for honey.
I would leave as is. The bees will move down as the season progresses and fill the super with honey. If you really are keen to hurry this up you could make sure the queen is in the brood box and put the Queen excluder between the super and the brood.
Don’t put the super under with a queen excluder in place it it will get blocked by dead drones.