Autumn- do i need a new super

Hi - my hive has been going since mid summer last year. Just took a small harvest of three frames but left it last year to establish - so first harvest. Question is i have two boxes on- there is now three empty frames- much bee bread- much remaining honey for ballarats cold winter. But do i need / havd time for a new super?

Hello rjw_W,

welcome to the forum :slight_smile:

I am not sure if I understand your question correctly, but in our (German) winter season, I would take off the flow super and just keep the brood box. I’d also feed the bees with syrup to give them enough for the winter months.

Keeping the Flow Frames on top would make the colony move up to get to the honey storage. If you kept the queen excluder on, the queen would be left behind. And if you remove the queen excluder, she might start laying eggs into the flow frames in spring.

Hi rjw and welcome!
I’m also unsure of your set-up (single or double brood box?) but I would not be adding a super at this time of year. If you currently have two brood boxes, then leave as is. For Ballarat, I think two brood boxes are appropriate for the climate. If the mild weather continues the bees will endeavour to fill the three empty frames and they will need them to get through winter.
All the best.

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