A little guidance and reassurance

[Patrick]

I lost my package last year about this time so I want to be extra mindful this time around.  Just want to check in with all you Bee Masters and make sure I am on a good footing. The package I started in April is doing great and is healthy.  I have two deeps and one medium in the stack.  The bottom is nearly wall to wall brood.  The second at one time in July had about 6 frames with brood and the rest honey.  Since August they have stopped using the upper deep for brood and are now packing the top with capped honey of which there are about 9 full frames. The medium super is untouched although coated with propolis.  I have not seen even one queen cup or swarm cell all year. As of today the hive is active and bringing in pollen and taking advantage of a bit of a fall flow.  My question is regarding the management of the crowding frames of caped honey in the second and the on coming mild winter. Here in Southern California our major nectar flow will start in early February if not sooner. I have seen many feral swarms in my area, 90 percent occur in March.

Should I leave the medium honey super on for the duration of the winter?  My instinct tells me I should take it off around mid October when the nighttime temps start to drop (selldome below freezing) and then place it back on in January right before our spring flow.

Should I pull out some of those packed frame of honey and open up the second deep a bit with some empties or foundation now?  Or  should I just wait to do this in January?

Thanks for reading this long post.

Cheers,
Patrick

[Dr/B]

Should I leave the medium honey super on for the duration of the winter?  My instinct tells me I should take it off around mid October when the nighttime temps start to drop (selldome below freezing) and then place it back on in January right before our spring flow.

I would take it off now, if your honey flow is over, and put it back on just prior to your honey flow.  I would pull down any hives and take out any dead space not being used just prior to winter. 


Dr/B :)

[Kirk-o]

Hi Patric
the fall flow dosen't last to long here depending on the weather.I have not much honey from my bees in China Town this year.I have extracted in January here after I made sure the got through winter here.This next year is supposed to be el-Nina again no rain like this year.So during this type of year I wait and get them through the winter and then in January when the Peach tree blossoms I extract.This gets them through  and then gives them room for spring build up.
If there is a flow you could also extract the deep put the medium down so if there is a flow still they can put the honey in the medium.Or extract six Deep
frames then put back in the deep so they can fill the comb.Its your call.I have a extractor you can barrow if you need one.
kirk

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