Out of Space But Still Taking Syrup

[beek4018]

So I went to check on my girls today....

They came from a package I installed on April 5th.

Today they are packed into two deeps.  The top is fully drawn, but the bottom may have one or two frames that are only partially drawn.

I know I'm due to give them a honey super, but my dilemma is this.  They're still taking about a 1/2-gallon of syrup a week.

I stopped feeding in mid-May, but started again when the local flow slowed down.

Do I stop feeding and give them a super, or what? I don't want to put on a honey super and feed them sugar water (or do I) because then I'll get sugar water honey, correct?

I'd always heard that you keep feeding until thy stop taking it, but I also know I need to give them space.

Overall the colony looks strong.  I found no queen cells this week.  They've got eggs and larva in all stages. TONS of bees.

What to do.

[Kathyp]

stop feeding.  if they are very full of honey below, pull some frames with honey and pollen and save them for feeding back in winter.  super them if you are going to have a flow.  watch the supers and replace as needed.
rotate the unfinished frames toward the inside.  i'd put them on either side of the brood.

of the filled frames, how many are brood and how many are honey?

[beek4018]

Kathy,

Thanks that makes sense.

Right now each of the 10 frame deeps looks to be composed of:

2-3 frames of exclusively honey/uncapped nectar ( outermost frames)
3-4 frames of mixed capped honey nectar, and pollen
1-3 frames of almost all brood (with just a bit of capped honey and pollen around the edges)
3-4 frames of mixed brood, capped honey, and pollen

[hardwood]

Yes, stop the feeding or risk becoming honey (syrup) bound. I only feed until they have built up stores and then stop. If they are only transferring the syrup into frames they don't need it...they are simply hoarding as is their nature. Fall feeding is different, especially in cold climates. Here in FL during summer (really most of the year) if I feed I use 1:1 and only put one small hole in the jar top. They can't draw it fast enough to store it but they won't starve either.

Scott

[beek4018]

Is it true they won't cap a 1:1 mixture as it's to "lean" on sugar to ever reduce down to be honey (18% water or less)?

So any capped stores in the brood nest are actual honey.  open stuff is either syrup or nectar that hasn't been reduced to 18% water or less?

[hardwood]

They'll evaporate 1:1 down to heavy syrup and cap it too...2:1 is for fall feeding as they don't have to work so hard at it and the added moisture isn't there during cold spells.

Scott