Please don’t do that at this time of year. I wouldn’t do it at all, unless I had a purchased new queen that I needed to install. I really think it is better to let the bees supersede the queen themselves, if they want to. They usually choose to do this when there is a good nectar flow and plenty of drones, in Spring or early Summer.
Hello from Pennsylvania
Eva
#77
Dawn is right, timing is everything & our bees are in winter prep mode in this area so raising a new queen is not on the agenda. Besides, it’s safe to assume that a first year colony won’t produce enough honey for the beekeeper to take a harvest. So, don’t worry & read up on how you might help your colony survive the winter (it’s coming…
)
jennybeeyou
#78
We decided to take off our honey super, so the bees could focus more on
their winter stash. Been feeding the sugar water for a couple weeks and we
have gone through about 20 pounds of sugar. I hope it holds them over for
the winter. How has your season gone Eva?
If you’re worried, you can get some bakers fondant, place a slab on some waxed paper, and lay that directly on top of the frames in the upper deep brood chamber.
An Imrie shim http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com/8-Frame-Imirie-Shim offers a little space under the inner cover for the fondant. They come in 8 or 10 frame sizes.
Eva
#80
Hey Jenny - just lost a hive to wax moths, sorry to say. The other hive is doing great though & has accepted all
the queenless moth hive refugees. My next step is to get my moisture quilt ready & put it on top of the good hive. I made it custom so there’s an Imrie shim-sized gap inside the bottom for a sugar patty to fit under as @Red_Hot_Chilipepper described. Worked great last year!
Did you harvest any honey? I took one frame from my strongest hive, SO wonderful 
Rye
#81
Near Harrisburg here, work in the city, live in the country raising two boys and what… 40,000 girls. what was I thinking.