Ive been doing this for 4 years now and usually around this time of year, I am removing supers and "pushing the bees down" (what I call it) to the point where they are just below being crowded. This, in the past, has been a deep and medium going into winter so I usually have this arrangement by mid november at the latest.
However this year, I still have a deep and 4 mediums. I cannot get them to stop building comb and filling it with honey.
If i take a way a super, they start building burr comb. If i add a super back, they have it filled with honey in a week.
I am very perplexed as to why its so different this year. I have way more bees in my hive this year than I have had any previous year.
Usually I see the mass die off of zombie bees running around. They havent kicked the drones out yet either.
Is this normal for Atlanta, GA. right now? It was a really rainy summer so Im not sure if that is causing this late strength of the hive. Also, I am not sure where they are getting so much honey from in the city.
What is the latest point where I can remove supers and "push them down"?
Thanks - Chris
Bees are hoarders. If there is something to gather they will, weather permitting and it's not a net loss to the colony. Apparently you still have a flow of some sort.
The timely rain has most likely extended your season. Count your blessings. :smile:
Here in the northeast the fall nectar kept coming for quite some time. My honey harvest this year is above and beyond the best I've had.
Thank you for replying. I have just never seen them building comb and bringing in honey this time of year and Im worried if i cant push them down that ill go into winter with extra mediums of honey that they wont need.
Maybe it will slow down in a couple weeks so by december 1st i will have them pushed down for winter
Give it to them they know what there doing
I see a lot of white and yellow blooms in the Montgomery area.