The bees have stored 250 sq. in. capped honey in several frames in one super and about 100 sq. in. in another super. There is some, approx. 50 sq. in. of uncapped honey. I don't want to leave the supers on all winter as I have two deep supers for brood chambers and would prefer the bees to cluster there. I also don't want the bees to raise brood in the honey supers during spring build up. Can I store these two supers with the capped honey provided they are stored in a low humidity environment - like less than 70% RH at temperature and appropriately protected against moths? i.e. my utility room basement or at freezing temperature in my garden shed with unknown humidity pre and post freezing temperature? Other thoughts are welcome.
Quote from: DBoireThe bees have stored 250 sq. in. capped honey in several frames in one super and about 100 sq. in. in another super. There is some, approx. 50 sq. in. of uncapped honey. I don't want to leave the supers on all winter as I have two deep supers for brood chambers and would prefer the bees to cluster there. I also don't want the bees to raise brood in the honey supers during spring build up. Can I store these two supers with the capped honey provided they are stored in a low humidity environment - like less than 70% RH at temperature and appropriately protected against moths? i.e. my utility room basement or at freezing temperature in my garden shed with unknown humidity pre and post freezing temperature? Other thoughts are welcome.
Dboire, If you don't want to extract these honey supers, but want them cleaned out you could place them above the inner covers of the colonies they came from. or weaker colonies you think may need extra food. The bees will go up in them and take the honey down to the brood chambers.
If you hadn't left the supers on where would they have put the honey?
As mentioned, if you uncap and put it above the inner cover they will probably bring it down.
thanks, The solution sounds like more work than doing it right the first time :wink: