Removing Supers and condensing down

[Nopants]

What is the best way to reduce my hive down in size. I have 3 Supers on at the moment 2 of which have had their honey extracted. I have a prolific colony and dont want to make the Bees feel too over crowded like they were when I used the clearer board.At the moment I am feeding them as they have used up most of their stores and have little honey in the brood box. Am I best to wait untill the weather cools down towards the end of August?

 

[Vortex]

Sorry I've not looked at your posting history and am new(ish) to this game, at least I don't have any hives of my own yet, but I need to ask some questions
What type of hive and size of brood box are you running?
If you've taken 2 supers off and extracted the honey why did you put both back on, also when did you take the honey off?
If I interpret your post correctly when you put the clearer board on to take the honey off you thought the brood nest was congested. I know there are mixed feelings about it but to me that would have suggested you need to go to brood+half or jumbo brood next year if you're not there already.
I'm not going to try answering the feeding question because I don't have enough information but unless the weather is really bad where you are, surely such a large colony should be able to find sufficient forage at this time of year - my beans (climbing french and runner) are all in flower and covered in bees as are my autumn raspberries. The hive's of the local Association are certainly not struggling and they're had super's removed, including one last weekend.
Also what are the stores like in the super you didn't remove?

 

[Nopants]

Sorry I've not looked at your posting history and am new(ish) to this game, at least I don't have any hives of my own yet, but I need to ask some questions
What type of hive and size of brood box are you running?
If you've taken 2 supers off and extracted the honey why did you put both back on, also when did you take the honey off?
If I interpret your post correctly when you put the clearer board on to take the honey off you thought the brood nest was congested. I know there are mixed feelings about it but to me that would have suggested you need to go to brood+half or jumbo brood next year if you're not there already.
I'm not going to try answering the feeding question because I don't have enough information but unless the weather is really bad where you are, surely such a large colony should be able to find sufficient forage at this time of year - my beans (climbing french and runner) are all in flower and covered in bees as are my autumn raspberries. The hive's of the local Association are certainly not struggling and they're had super's removed, including one last weekend.
Also what are the stores like in the super you didn't remove?

We have had really bad weather down here it has rained for 3 weeks solid. There was no honey in the brood box and very little weight in the Super on top of the brood box. I am using a modified national hive and its my first year. The last thing I need is my Bees starving to death before winter sets in.
From what I have read you need to feed bees before the beginning of september. I agree I will have to go to a brood and a half or double brood box. Im hoping the bees will move the stores down stairs where its needed.I still feel they need that extra space above the Super untill things cool down.

 

[BKF Admin]

What area are you in ?

 

[Nopants]

What area are you in ?

Northants area Its been the wettest July on record.

 

[RoofTops]

If they really are short of stores and no signs they are finding forage locally (such as himalayan balsam or brambles - look for pollen coated bees) then don't be shy, given recent weather, about feeding them sugar syrup. You are not going to take a honey crop off them now so any stores will be gratefully received by the bees. However, before doing so reduce the number of supers down to no more than one. Some would take all the supers off buy my preference would be to give them somewhere to store honey, espcially the ivy honey which they will find in a month or so. I also wouldn't use a queen excluder under the super. If you have some supers with a few stores in them you need to empty before winter feeding put them above a crown board (minus bee escapes) so the bees are encouraged to take it down to the brood nest. Give them a week, no more, and then take the supers away. You shouldn't need to use bee escapes when you do this - just brush the few remaining bees off the comb.

 

[Hawklord]

I was told the best way to get bees to move honey from a super is to put the super under the brood box with a queen excluder between.

 

[Nopants]

Thanks Guys, very helpful!