Winter preparation confusion

[Levitt53]

I'm still a bit confused about all if this. I will check my hives at the weekend and decide what I'm doing. I'm still a bit confused about whether I can nadir my supers and use Apiguard at the same time. Most on here say no, I asked on Facebook and everyone said yes. I would mark any frames left at the end so they go back the next year as winter feed again. But also I've heard that you shouldn't feed while applying Apiguard but if I take the half full super away to treat then they'll be short of stores. Apiguard takes 6 weeks in theory so when do I feed if I don't give them the super at the same time? My other two hives don't need treating but will need feeding. One of these on single brood I will nadir a super for, the other is on double brood so will have plenty of room. Do I nadir the super first or feed first or do both at the same time in that hive?

Also to top it all I constantly read that you need to make decisions based on the situation in your individual colonies however I also read that you should treat all hives at the same time or you'll encourage robbing. I'm in the south east so I expect nice weather for a good few weeks yet. I've taken all the honey I want this year.

I keep thinking I've got a plan then deciding that's all wrong. Should I have done this all a few weeks ago although I've also read not to feed too early or you'll take up all the room that the queen needs to lay. I need a plan!!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

When I used Apiguard
A)I often had nadired supers on whilst treating, by the spring they were clean and free of any thymol 'taint' and good to go for harvesting honey again - same goes if they have stored thymolised syrup in them.
B) No problem with feeding and treating but the only issue you may have is once they've filled up all the comb they will use the extra space you have supplied by using an eke to build brace comb and store more syrup (no biggie, just a bit of a faff sorting it out.
C) the issue of treating all at the same time is not robbing but reinfestation of a recently treated colony if the neighbouring colony is still crawling with the little beggars.
I think you may have got treating and feeding mixed up - it makes sense to feed all colonies at the same time otherwise those not being fed might see an opportunity of an easy feed by robbing a hive overflowing with syrup.
I'd start apiguard treatment the middle of September the latest.

 

[Levitt53]

Hi, thanks yes sorry I had meant feeding. It sounds like I'm over thinking it all. I think I'll nadir the two with supers and start the Apiguard this weekend. If they have the nadired supers then they shouldn't need much more syrup so I'll do that once the Apiguard is done as there should be time and hopefully they would have taken all the honey up by then. Right that's a plan. Many thanks.