What to do with Super

[Martinreed]

Hi everyone,
Yes this is my first post so 'yes' I am a beginner and 'yes' will probably be asking lots of dumb questions.
I got my colony late in the year and decided not to worry too much about getting and honey from it and to let it build up for the winter.
However the colony has done very well and I put a super on which they filled and I extracted. I put another super on and its about half capped but as I am now in winterfeed/Apiguard/oxalic acid territory should I:-
- extract capped frames and leave others in super for winter feed?
- extract capped frames and take super off to put back next year?
- do something else?

 

[BeeNice]

Are you treating for Apiguard? (OA treatment is for winter use) Are you feeding your bees? Not clear if you put on the old extracted super or a new one. Whatever if the bees are still bringing in nectar let them fill the super and leave it for them to over winter on, making sure of course to remove the QE first. If the bees are not or have stopped filling the super then start to feed them.

 

[itma]

Martin, it would also help to know what your hive is - and what frames/spacers are in the super.

I'm thinking that if single brood national, you might be best advised to head towards brood-and-a-half for the winter ...


Oh, and

 

[whoosling]

I've just taken my first ever super off ready to extract and had similar questions so sorry to invade your thread! I want to treat with apiguard but don't know if I can put it on on top of the super with honey which I'm leaving for the bees and am leaving on to make brood and 1/2, if I take it off and treat they have almost no stores in the brood box. Also Ive put frames to extract in a large plastic box (easier for me to carry) as I can't borrow an extractor for a couple of weeks, will they be ok in this until I can extract or should they be kept in a super.

Again sorry to invade your thread and thanks in advance to my probably silly questions!

 

[oliver90owner]

Yes, type of hive and location are important. Many over-winter on a single National deep. A new beek may be well advised to winter on a brood and a super.

I do (effectively), with 14 x 12s and if filled never need to worry about any supplementary feed during the winter months.

If you want maximum honey crop by taking every last skerret of honey and feeding all sugar feed, an alternative might be better.

I do wonder how much 'sugar honey' is included in the honey crop by some.

 

[drstitson]

"I do wonder how much 'sugar honey' is included in the honey crop by some."

especially given so many feel the need to add supers as soon as the snow melts rather than wait until the brood box is stuffed with brood and winter stores used.

 

[mbc]

- extract capped frames and take super off to put back next year?

Always my preferred option.
Supers with some sugar syrup in them or stores thats been tainted with thymol are a PITA, whereas an extracted super stored ready for use next year is an extremely useful piece of equipment.

 

[enrico]

What I would do..... I would take the super off now, use bee escapes, I would treat now, any new nectar will be stored in the bb, at the end of treatment I would give the super back under the bb, the bees will move any spare stores into the bb for winter, if they empty the super I would remove and feed until bb was full, if they have not emptied the super I would leave on until spring when I would remove it and put it back on top. I would not use QE until next spring.
That is what I would do
E

 

[rogerb]

Hello Martin and welcome.

If it’s ready to extract then do so and give them sugar to replace it but not in the super just in your brood box and feed them till they will take no more. Then winter in your usual way. I use the brood box with a block of candy above (in an empty super with an old jumper as insulation).

If it’s not ready to extract then take out your excluder and then feed anyway, but miss out the block of candy they won’t need it. This will give you a problem to get your super frames clean in the spring as you’ll have to get brood and syrup out before you can let them fill it again, it’s not too difficult to achieve, but wait till your first spring inspections start and then ask around once you know what you have and many guys will help you out.

 

[Martinreed]

Sorry, should have said I have a standard National hive with 10 super frames and I'm in Bedfordshire. 4 frames are capped, 4 partially and 2 dry.
Seems like the way to go is to leave 'partial' frames on, take off others and extract from capped, remove QC?
Thanks for your advice; the forum is a great help and I've learnt loads from 2 months of 'lurking'.

 

[mbc]

Seems like the way to go is to leave 'partial' frames on, take off others and extract from capped, remove QC?

you can lead a horse to water.....

 

[enrico]

you can lead a horse to water.....

oh well!