I have several hives that Wintered extremely well this year, and the bees barely touched the super of honey I had on the hives to help them get through Winter. As Springs gets into full swing, some hives have 4-8 full frames of capped honey in each super left over. I need to expand the brood chamber to help prevent swarming, so should I simply move these frames to another super upstairs and extract them at the end of the season, or would you remove these frames now and extract them?
Thanks,
John.
It's your choice really. If it were me I would just extract them now or freeze them for when I do nucs.
Quote from: Koala John on October 08, 2009, 08:32:42 AM
I have several hives that Wintered extremely well this year, and the bees barely touched the super of honey I had on the hives to help them get through Winter. As Springs gets into full swing, some hives have 4-8 full frames of capped honey in each super left over. I need to expand the brood chamber to help prevent swarming, so should I simply move these frames to another super upstairs and extract them at the end of the season, or would you remove these frames now and extract them?
Thanks,
John.
A good place to be in... if they're bringing in nectar in the Spring and there is honey left over, no reason you couldn't extract. :) Way to go!
Melbourne is pretty much like Gippsland John and the only time I tried to help the bees with some sugar syrup the ants took over. It seems that there is always enough nectar about in gardens to keep them going without concern.
The only time I put honey on is when I pick up a swarm or am relocating neglected hives that have been acquired and the whole box and dice needs rebuilding, purely a consolation to the bees for the trauma such a job causes them.
It would be like around here at almost any time of the year there is some variety of eucalypt flowering and I always have a couple of frames in the freezer for an emergency if it happened.