Putting supers back on after extraction?

[Hawklord]

When putting supers back on after extraction where are they put? I have tried putting them back on so the bees clear any honey that is left but they always seem to put more in. I have had them over a queen excluder and above the crown board with the same result. Do other keepers store the supers wet, if so does it cause any problems putting them on the following year with the residue of honey fermenting? I am wondering if putting them below the brood box with the floor blocked off and using a queen excluder between as per the Bailey comb change.

 

[For want of a better word]

What time of year?

Thought the game was to fit them back after removing honey so the bees could fill them up with more honey !

At end of season some put extracted supers above the crown / quilt for the bees to clean up before winter storage..
.... some even leave them out in the open in the apiary for all to lick clean.. I don't

 

[drex]

at this time of year I bung them staright back on for refilling.

In autumn, I have never had any problem getting them cleaned up on top of an open crownboard.

If stored wet I have read it deters wax moth. Can be messy, but bees will clean them up when put back on.

I too do not go for open feeding.

 

[YorkshireBees]

At the end of the season above a crown board with the feeding holes closed down to minimal to convince them that the super is not part of the hive!

I found this out last year, with the feeding hole fully open they filled the super but closed down to a small gap and they quickly empty / clean the super!

 

[itma]

At the end of the season above a crown board with the feeding holes closed down to minimal to convince them that the super is not part of the hive!

I found this out last year, with the feeding hole fully open they filled the super but closed down to a small gap and they quickly empty / clean the super!

And I've also had the suggestion of putting a completely empty box between the wet super and the crownboard, to further convince them that they are 'robbing' outside their hive and need to take the plunder back home.

 

[Finman]

.
During yield season put the extracted combs allways next to brood.

.

 

[Beeline]

Do other keepers store the supers wet, if so does it cause any problems putting them on the following year with the residue of honey fermenting?

I think fermented honey may give them some problems. I just soaked mine in a luke warm bath of water and the fermented honey floated out. Some needed a gentle shake to remove the last remains.

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

I think fermented honey may give them some problems. I just soaked mine in a luke warm bath of water and the fermented honey floated out. Some needed a gentle shake to remove the last remains.

How do you know its fermented, are you saying non fermented honey wont float out?

 

[Finman]

.
I let bees wash the combs, are they fermented or not after winter.
Bees get healthy yeast cells then.

 

[Beeline]

How do you know its fermented, are you saying non fermented honey wont float out?

MA - I knew it was fermented because firstly I could see tiny bubbles in each cell. This was confirmed when I stuck a matchstick into the cell and tasted it. Quite distinct.

Sorry, probably wasn't clear here - it was a partially filled/ uncapped super which i thought I could store wet over winter but alas. The way I removed the remaining honey (all fermented) was, as above. Not suggesting non fermented honey won't float.

 

[enrico]

Put extracted super over feeding board on top of hive. Put it on at dusk and off following morning. put bee escapes on feeder board to remove bees. They will have cleaned it but Not started to fill it.
I think that is what you are tring to do. If you leave it any longer you will have nectar back in it. If that is case the do a bit of swapping with another super by tling dry or indrawn frames out and replacing with frames they have started to fill again. Be grateful they are bringing it in!!!

 

[susbees]

I think fermented honey may give them some problems. I just soaked mine in a luke warm bath of water and the fermented honey floated out. Some needed a gentle shake to remove the last remains.

Yet another use for the bath...hope you cleaned up afterwards