Apiguard and honey supers

[Briar]

I know Apiguard shouldn't be on hives at the same time as a honey crop, but how pervasive and long lived is it ? I leave a super on as extra winter stores for the bees, so if that super has been on at the same time as Apiguard does it mean the wax will be tainted and that frames that are empty by spring should not be used for honey production the following year (or ever ?) ?
Similar question about putting wet supers on to be cleaned...is it ok to do this while treating with Apiguard or not ?

 

[masterBK]

I have mentioned in past posts that as a honey judge I come across the occasional jar of honey with a slight hint of the taste and aroma of thyme and doubt it is from bees foraging in herb gardens.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

so if that super has been on at the same time as Apiguard does it mean the wax will be tainted and that frames that are empty by spring should not be used for honey production the following year (or ever ?) ?

No
But why leave a full super on for the bees
And why not store the supers wet, not faff around with leaving them for the bees to clean

 

[Briar]

No
But why leave a full super on for the bees
And why not store the supers wet, not faff around with leaving them for the bees to clean

1/ Thanks

2/ It's not usually completely full, and some of it is from syrup, not from nectar.

3/ I've only left them wet once and two supers-full of frames went mouldy and had to be scrapped, so I haven't done it since

 

[bingevader]

But why leave a full super on for the bees

Because then you don't have to feed.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Because then you don't have to feed.

Quite a few people say the same thing. If your bees have a super of honey on top for winter what sort of stores do they have in the brood box?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Because then you don't have to feed.

You don't need a super for that, they will store enough in the broodbox.

 

[fiat500bee]

You don't need a super for that, they will store enough in the broodbox.

So why do I see so much talk about putting fondant over the frames in the winter and a general panic in many quarters with hefting of boxes and liberal applications of sugar going on all around?

I am pretty certain but not sure that both of my hives will have a good layer of honey stores around the central nest. But I am sure that there is a 90% filled box above with capped stores. From what I've read, bees will naturally make a narrower and more elongated nest than one box permits, so stacking a bit higher might suit them better. It also gives them a more natural direction to head towards in the winter movement of the cluster. If the bees get lucky and survive through the winter by consuming all the stores then I've done the right thing as a has @Briar and anyone else who's done the same. If we got it wrong and they don't use all of the stores in either of the boxes then what's lost? Either the bees use it to get the season off to a cracking start or it eventually becomes "surplus" and I can take it. That process becomes continuous if you continue to keep bees, so effectively it's just honey in the bank.

I'm happy to be politely corrected as for me this is just theoretical.

 

[Erichalfbee]

The problem arises if too much syrup is left on. If you want to leave an extra super of honey then fine....as you say you can take it in the spring if the bees haven't used it. It's just that most of the time the bees don't need it

 

[Amari]

You don't need a super for that, they will store enough in the broodbox.

The problem arises if too much syrup is left on. If you want to leave an extra super of honey then fine....as you say you can take it in the spring if the bees haven't used it. It's just that most of the time the bees don't need it

Esteemed Moderators: to resume an old battle: there is no absolute right and wrong here. Alii alia dicunt (some say one thing, some say another), as those of us forced to do Latin at school will remember. I feel more comfortable, overwintering with a single BB, having a super with some stores. Nadired super in my case.......

 

[bingevader]

It's not been a great summer and we don't feed unless necessary.
Personally, I'd have been worried about the stores in the BB, especially in the larger colonies.
The BBs were all brood and not much stores and there's been precious little nectar to (adequately) refill the BBs since the brood has decreased.
Hence, the full super, rather than feeding.
I'm still feeding a couple of the smaller colonies which were short on stores to begin with.
As Fiat500bee has said, in a good year, the full super might be surplus, in a poor year it's essential.

 

[beeno]

It's not been a great summer and we don't feed unless necessary.
Personally, I'd have been worried about the stores in the BB, especially in the larger colonies.
The BBs were all brood and not much stores and there's been precious little nectar to (adequately) refill the BBs since the brood has decreased.
Hence, the full super, rather than feeding.
I'm still feeding a couple of the smaller colonies which were short on stores to begin with.
As Fiat500bee has said, in a good year, the full super might be surplus, in a poor year it's essential.

Am I the only one who have bees that move super stores into brood box as part of their winter preps?

 

[bingevader]

Am I the only one who have bees that move super stores into brood box as part of their winter preps?

Could be!
I've not had bees move the honey down.
I put the extracted supers underneath and they clean them out, but the full super stays on top

 

[fiat500bee]

Am I the only one who have bees that move super stores into brood box as part of their winter preps?

Mine in the super are just sitting there...nothing happening, which is reassuring as I know they still have reserves.