What to do with honey super while treating with Apivar.

[Horatio]

I intend to leave one super of honey on each of my two hives for the bees. However, I read that the supers should be removed while treating with Apivar. What do I do with the supers for the six weeks?

 

[Erichalfbee]

You spin it off and eat the honey then you either give it back to the bees to clean up or store it wet till next season
You should be using the strips after your supers have come off for the year

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

You spin it off and eat the honey then you either give it back to the bees to clean up or store it wet till next season
You should be using the strips after your supers have come off for the year

 

[Woodland bees]

If you want to leave a super of stores on over winter you wouldn't be spinning it off.

I also intend to leave a super on over winter and would be curious to know what people do when treating at this time of year.

 

[Madge]

An option is to nadir uncapped frames of honey/nectar (remove and extract the capped honey frames) - but then the question is: when removing the empty nadired super frames in spring - should the wax be rendered as it might be contaminated with Amitraz (unless they've been removed during the six-week treatment), or can these lovely, dry, drawn combs be re-used for honey? Is the effect of Amitraz on wax negligible?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

If you want to leave a super of stores on over winter you wouldn't be spinning it off.

The question is, why would you want to leave a whole super of stores on?

 

[Fiona in South View]

I intend to leave one super of honey on each of my two hives for the bees. However, I read that the supers should be removed while treating with Apivar. What do I do with the supers for the six weeks?

I also leave one super of honey on each colony for the bees, that means NOT spinning it and NOT putting it back wet, which I do with the others. The super immediately above brood always remains the colony’s super. My understanding is that it is only honey intended for humans that should be removed. After all the honey stored in the brood box is still there. I personally use MAQS at this time of year as they only require a week and can be used with supers on.

 

[Rock_Chick]

The question is, why would you want to leave a whole super of stores on?

Surly to leave food for the bees,

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Surly to leave food for the bees,

There's plenty of room in the brood box, you just have to manage your colony.
I never leave supers on in the winter, seldom have to emergency feed unless it's a long, drawn out, cold spring

 

[Swn58]

Surly to leave food for the bees,

Isn't that a bit extravagant? I prefer to leave 'natural' stores, usually within the brood boxes. However, a whole super full of frames? I would not think the bees would need that amount of honey, even in the worst winter?

 

[Swn58]

There's plenty of room in the brood box, you just have to manage your colony.
I never leave supers on in the winter, seldom have to feed unless it's a long, drawn out, cold spring

You beat me to it!

 

[Rock_Chick]

There's plenty of room in the brood box, you just have to manage your colony.
I never leave supers on in the winter, seldom have to feed unless it's a long, drawn out, cold spring

Sorry to hitch on the post, but when you have a queen that’s still laying going into winter on 6-7 frames, all rest of frames are pollen, what do you do then. you've got to leave suppers ?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Sorry to hitch on the post, but when you have a queen that’s still laying going into winter on 6-7 frames, all rest of frames are pollen, what do you do then. you've got to leave suppers ?

There won’t be 6/7 frames of brood in winter. As the brood nest contracts it will be filled with honey or syrup

 

[Horatio]

Actually I meant Apiguard not Apistan (all these similar names confuse me) but I'm unsure it makes a difference to my question.

The reason I want to leave a super of honey is that (a) I have read it is a good thing to do and (b) on one of the hives, a new one this Summer, the honey is uncapped anyway. It was my plan to take off the queen excluders and leave the super on top - placing it underneath the brood box would mean I need help lifting. However, I just don't know what to do with the supers while I have the Apiguard trays in the hive.

I'm wondering if perhaps if leave them where they are and then only use that super and frames every year right next to the brood box so as not to use contaminated honey. But I am also wondering if leaving them on the hive might mean the Apiguard is less effective, having more space for the fumes to dissipate. I have read that lots of beekeepers do leave a super of honey for the bees, maybe they don't leave a whole super, just a few frames? I don't know.

 

[Amari]

Actually I meant Apiguard not Apistan (all these similar names confuse me) but I'm unsure it makes a difference to my question.

The reason I want to leave a super of honey is that (a) I have read it is a good thing to do and (b) on one of the hives, a new one this Summer, the honey is uncapped anyway. It was my plan to take off the queen excluders and leave the super on top - placing it underneath the brood box would mean I need help lifting. However, I just don't know what to do with the supers while I have the Apiguard trays in the hive.

I'm wondering if perhaps if leave them where they are and then only use that super and frames every year right next to the brood box so as not to use contaminated honey. But I am also wondering if leaving them on the hive might mean the Apiguard is less effective, having more space for the fumes to dissipate. I have read that lots of beekeepers do leave a super of honey for the bees, maybe they don't leave a whole super, just a few frames? I don't know.

Hello Horatio

Re leaving a super on the hive over winter: Many of us do this, some don't eg. JBM post 9 above. There are many different ways of managing bees. It may be that some methods are ones which give us satisfaction without having the proof of a double-blind trial. There is rarely any total right or total wrong in answer to questions posted on this forum. We mustn't be bullied by dogma!
Of course be flexible, not every colony needs the same management.
What I do: nearly all hives have a super over winter. I take the honey off and then feed invert syrup in September - so handy and mess free and funded by the honey. In October I usually nadir this super = under the brood box. Come spring it is empty and ready to use as a super (if you leave the super above the BB it's likely to still have syrup stores which would contaminate your spring crop).
To answer your first question: maybe remove the super for the six weeks while you Apiguard, then return it (I use a 15-day treatment by sublimating oxalic acid x3).
Nothing wrong with leaving a super of honey on! I feel very uncomfortable leaving a strong colony on a single BB.

 

[Horatio]

Hello Horatio
yes To answer your first question: maybe remove the super for the six weeks while you Apiguard, then return it (I use a 15-day treatment by sublimating oxalic acid x3).

Yes but where do I put the super for the six weeks of apiguard treatment before I put it back?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes but where do I put the super for the six weeks of apiguard treatment before I put it back?

Seal it top and bottom And put it in the shed.

 

[Horatio]

Seal it top and bottom And put it in the shed.

Won’t the honey fall out, especially the one which isn’t capped, during the six weeks or evaporate or similar?
It just doesn’t seem straightforward at all, perhaps I’m just not sensible enough to work this out. Maybe I’ll abandon the idea, extract the one that is capped, return for a day and then place it in the freezer together with the uncapped one. Treat with the apiguard and then feed with fondant. Then put the frozen suppers, suitably defrosted, back in the early Spring. That’s what I do every year, I just wanted to leave them their own honey this year instead of giving them fondant.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Won’t the honey fall out, especially the one which isn’t capped, during the six weeks or evaporate or similar?
It just doesn’t seem straightforward at all, perhaps I’m just not sensible enough to work this out. Maybe I’ll abandon the idea, extract the one that is capped, return for a day and then place it in the freezer together with the uncapped one. Treat with the apiguard and then feed with fondant. Then put the frozen suppers, suitably defrosted, back in the early Spring. That’s what I do every year, I just wanted to leave them their own honey this year instead of giving them fondant.

Why would the honey fall out?
It won’t evaporate with a crownboard top and bottom either
If you’ve put them in the freezer before then do it again and put back when the strips come out.

 

[Madge]

Yes but where do I put the super for the six weeks of apiguard treatment before I put it back?

You could perhaps leave the super for the six weeks above a closed crown board. It will benefit somewhat from the colony's heat, and will probably be less likely to crystallise.