Winter loss

[madasafish]

I nadir and have done so from 2016. Never any issues: ways for bees to take extra stores into brood nest in autumn and reduce draughts in hives (on stands).
I remove in March as that is when brooding starts here in earnest (note S England may be earlier)

 

[Do224]

Because they don't want to get to spring and find the queen laying brood in their super frames.

I don't nadir supers myself, but this is why people don't want to leave the super on top over winter.

ok, well I’ve left mine on top….do I just go in say first week of April if the temp is above say 12 celcius, make sure the queen is in the bottom box and put a queen excluder in?

Presume any brood in the super will emerge in due course and then the bees will backfill with nectar. Or should the super be removed after any brood emerges?

 

[Boston Bees]

ok, well I’ve left mine on top….do I just go in say first week of April if the temp is above say 12 celcius, make sure the queen is in the bottom box and put a queen excluder in?

Presume any brood in the super will emerge in due course and then the bees will backfill with nectar. Or should the super be removed after any brood emerges?

That's right. If you can get the qx on before she starts laying drone brood it's better, as otherwise the drones get stuck above the qx and have to be let out in some way.

No need to remove the super, the bees will fill it with stores