super for winter

[davers]

I started my hive in April 2014 and this point I have two deeps and a honey super which is not 100% capped.  Going into winter, should I leave the super on or take it off.  The deeps seem heavy but didn't want to risk starving the girls in their first winter.  I'll be splitting the deeps in the spring.  Any suggestions fellow beeks?

[thewhiterhino]

I have no Idea where Hopelessly Lost is so the answer is it depends. :-)

[Switchback]

You need to go into your profile and update your location. That way you can get help for your location.

[davers]

Thanks thewhiterhino for pointing out the lack of location.  I have changed it.  I'm in N. California

[davers]

Thanks also Switchback

[thewhiterhino]

Thanks for your location. Your winters are way different than mine in Colorado so I'll leave the advice to someone in your general location or someone that knows what your winters are like..
Ross

[jayj200]

How cold does it get there?
If you have 3 ft of snow on the ground. I would remove the supers

[davers]

Here in Chico/N. Calif. it gets down sometimes to 28 degrees and as high in the summer as 104 degrees.  No snow but normal rainfall is about 23 inches. 

[jayj200]

check again perhaps they ha caped the honey
down here Al says one does not have to remove the honey because there is no real long cold spells where they must cluster tightly. heat rises thereby cooling the cluster honey supers expand the area draining more heat away quicker.

I am going to remove our honey supers today I think

[davers]

just curious but what do you do with the honey supers?  Do you uncap it or freeze it

[jayj200]

harvest

[CBT]

It depends on your needs. If want the honey then uncap and spin it out. If you need it for bee food early next year freeze it to kill and eggs that may be in it. Then store it in a place wax moths or other pests cannot get to it.