What to do with suoer

[Nick Lang]

Hi there,

So I have a hive that has almost filled a super...but only a little of it is capped... it's quite heavy....I reckon about 3/4 full (by it's weight)

The hive is absolutely rammed....the bees are still all over the frames what should I do with it?

I want to start treating with apiguard now really and then oxalic in winter.

Should I leave it on (take off while treating) replace and leave it on over winter a extra stores?
Or take off ....apiguard...then replace as a nadir?
Or should I remove test the water content and extract then either feed back or keep depending on the %?

Any suggestions?

Ta

 

[Anduril]

Or should I remove test the water content and extract then either feed back or keep depending on the %?

Do the above as well as a shake test.

 

[Erichalfbee]

If you take it off be sure they have enough stores before you get a feeder on
I have a similar colony. Rammed with bees and brood with no stores in the brood.

 

[Nick Lang]

Yeah.... there's part of the dilemma.... there's very little stores in the BB

 

[Nick Lang]

What will you do for that colony...cos it sounds like mine?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

leave as is and sort out in the spring

 

[Erichalfbee]

leave as is and sort out in the spring

Yep. That’s what I’m doing. I’ll take out the QX and put the super frames in a box without castellations and leave them to it.

 

[Nick Lang]

Yep. That’s what I’m doing. I’ll take out the QX and put the super frames in a box without castellations and leave them to it.

Oh okay.....but won't they lay in the super?

And is it okay to treat with apiguard with the super on....or will you skip apiguard and vape?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Oh okay.....but won't they lay in the super?

And is it okay to treat with apiguard with the super on....or will you skip apiguard and vape?

you won't need the super over the winter - extract it and either eat the honey if it's ripe or feed it back to the bees if not then just store it somewhere

 

[Nick Lang]

Okay....sorry....you can just go ahead and call me "Dummy the dim Dumbo"...cos you've lost me
What are you going to do???...take the frames out of the super and do what exactly?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Oh okay.....but won't they lay in the super?

And is it okay to treat with apiguard with the super on....or will you skip apiguard and vape?

Yes she will in n the spring. I have no choice. This queen is just prolific. She needs to be in double brood but I run 14x12
I don’t Apiguard I OAV and will do over the super.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

remove the whole super, extract then store

 

[Erichalfbee]

Okay....sorry....you can just go ahead and call me "Dummy the dim Dumbo"...cos you've lost me
What are you going to do???...take the frames out of the super and do what exactly?

You clear the super.
If there are no stores in the brood you have to feed straight away

 

[Nick Lang]

Okay thanks so much....I was struggling there for a while

 

[pmoskovi]

Had a similar question, super(!) useful thread - cheers!

 

[BernardBlack]

Do the above as well as a shake test.

Can you explain a shake test?

 

[BernardBlack]

I see it’s not just me with a similar problem as above.........

Brood box has brood, but little to no stores.
Super full.

Could I extract the super and feed them syrup?

........ And should the syrup and whatever ivy they bring in, sustain them through until spring?

.......Or just leave the Super on until spring?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Can you explain a shake test?

Take a frame from the super, hold it by the lugs and turn it upside down (bottom bars pointing to the sky) holding it above the other frames, then give it a few short sharp downward shakes/jerks. If the honey is unripe, drops of honey will spray over the top bars in the super, if it is ripe, very little should come out.

Could I extract the super and feed them syrup?

yes

........ And should the syrup and whatever ivy they bring in, sustain them through until spring?

yes, if you feed them enough

Or just leave the Super on until spring?

I wouldn't

 

[Swarm]

I see it’s not just me with a similar problem as above.........

Brood box has brood, but little to no stores.
Super full.

Could I extract the super and feed them syrup?

........ And should the syrup and whatever ivy they bring in, sustain them through until spring?

.......Or just leave the Super on until spring?

The shake test is a general guide of honey ripeness, I've never had honey ferment and used the shake test for many years before forking out on one of those refractometers. I found nectar (?) at 23% that passed the shake test.
If you intend to sell, I'd get a refractometer.

 

[BernardBlack]

The shake test is a general guide of honey ripeness, I've never had honey ferment and used the shake test for many years before forking out on one of those refractometers. I found nectar (?) at 23% that passed the shake test.
If you intend to sell, I'd get a refractometer.

Nah, not selling, it’s just for my own use.

I thought as long as honey was sealed, it therefore had the appropriate water content?