Super Removal

[Millet]

I put a super over the brood box as advised roughly 2mth ago.. the bee's have drawn around half of the 4 middle frames above the brood and stored a small amount of honey and syrup in what they have drawn..every time i inspect to see if i can remove it they have built more comb slowly though.. would it be best just to remove the super as that is what i want to do so i can prepare the hive for winter and insulate as it get's a bit nippy during the winter where they live..
Thank's
Steve.

 

[B+.]

would it be best just to remove the super as that is what i want to do so i can prepare the hive for winter and insulate as it get's a bit nippy during the winter where they live..
Thank's
Steve.

To be honest Steve, I would get it off pdq or put it under the brood so they could use it themselves.

 

[Millet]

Thank you for that B+ .. i had thought about putting it below but to be honest i don't think there's much for them to use.. i would say there's around 1/8 may be less of store's on the side of one frame if i put it all together from the 4 they are building..is that worth messing on with..
Thank's
Steve.

 

[BrianO]

Yup, get em off !

The Ivy train is pulling into the station, time to let them build up for winter, concentrating on stores in the brood box.

Have removed all mine, treated, and fed only where necessary.

As an aside, drove to Wexford where I have a polyhive , to treat with MAQS and remove last super I had added only weeks ago ... In hope, of getting some frames drawn.

Anyway removed still un drawnSuper but God had they packed in the stores in the Brood, and fantastic amount of Brood. Apropo nothing but was thrilled to see such a vibrant colony !

 

[Millet]

Thank you Brian .. if i knew how to fire a fine dram through these internet cables you would sleep nice tonight.. lol..

 

[Arfermo]

As B+. If there is limited space in the BB, best to put super under the BB so that surplus stores can go there. It would also act as something of a windbreak during winter - assuming you leave OMF open of course.

 

[madasafish]

As I don't posess the luxury of a bee shed , I store all my supers under the brood box.. The bees don't mind.

 

[Nick Sonic]

I can understand the logic of placing a super under the brood box so that there's less space to heat above the BB, less chance of the bees being affected by wind in a hive with a OMF etc, but...

...if bees are encouraged to put stores in the BB how does that square with leaving the queen with enough room to lay?

 

[B+.]

I can understand the logic of placing a super under the brood box so that there's less space to heat above the BB, less chance of the bees being affected by wind in a hive with a OMF etc, but...

...if bees are encouraged to put stores in the BB how does that square with leaving the queen with enough room to lay?

They will treat the stores below the brood as a nectar flow and use them, first, for their ongoing needs, then, store any remainder. They will re-organise the stores in the brood box to suit their needs going into winter. If you've given the queen enough space in the brood (personally, I believe a single National BB is insufficient) she'll still have space to lay, but, at a reduced rate....we're almost at the end of September now....add 21 days (period required for an egg laid today to emerge as a worker) and we're talking about the middle of October.

 

[Nick Sonic]

Thanks B+. So should any feeding should stop before putting a super below the BB?

 

[B+.]

Thanks B+. So should any feeding should stop before putting a super below the BB?

That depends on how much space she has in the brood box. You obviously don't want to fill all the comb so she has nowhere to lay.
As I've said, I don't believe a single National brood box provides enough space for winter stores, brood and fresh nectar storage...something has to give. I would recommend at least 1 and a half (but preferably a double brood box)...which is why I use Langstroth! This should have been prepared well in advance though.
I'm sure the people who use Nationals will correct me if I'm wrong, but, they should have at least 20lbs of stores.
As a guide, I overwinter any colony that hasn't expanded out of a single Langstroth brood by the end of July as a single. Those that have, are overwintered in doubles (except this year, I still have 2014 test colonies in triples that are so heavy I can't lift...ooops!)