My question is, do I leave the super on now for winter honey stores and put it back early spring, take it off soon to compact them, in which case would they have enough without the flow honey? Just leave them all be for now? It’s a lovely foraging day in Adelaide today, with sunshine no wind, there’s been rain recently and rain expected the rest of the week.
Last week I checked the flow frames and there was a lot less honey then than today, but all the observation windows show nothing as they are avoiding the sides and that end at the moment.
Also should I put mesh in the hole in the roof or keep it closed for winter? There was moisture inside the top board and I presume evaporating the nectar is making more moisture and there is mould in the bottom tray in the front section (flow 2).
This is a question much debated here.
I have done both and really not sure how I will continue.
The against: is 1. Mildue can spread on the frames if the bees are not active in the super and 2. There is a lot more space to keep warm.
The for: is 1. The super will be available as soon as the bees need it and 2. Bees will have food to see them through Winter.
This further complicated by each season being different from the last, sometimes very different. I am swayed by…if the super is near full leave it on, if its empty take it off.
Mind you storing the flow super has some precautions to take as well (again debated here at length).
So now very confused I think it is just a matter of reading all you can on this subject and then doing what you feel comfortable with.
I will keep an eye through the observation windows I guess. I feel that was my last dig through the broodbox for the season today. It seems they are filling more cells with honey down there too at the moment. There were shiny nectar cells uncapped in there too. The fiddlewood trees are finally in bloom and they attract a lot of bees. My mum has one in her front yard just 700m away. She was wondering if they were my bees? Quite possibly, though she is close to the bee society hives in Clovelly Park too. I am just over 1km from their hives. We might be competing for the same nectar!
This is also a factor of the remove/don’t remove. If your bees are able to forage all Winter, weather permitting, then a good case for leaving super on. In the suburbs there is usually quite a bit of flower all year round for bees to access. Located close to native forest which flowers through Winter, would also get you leaning toward leaving on.
One thing to add, if you have SHB in your area they can get a hold in a super the bees are not active in. They are little ******** and can cause lots of problems if you have too many boxes on for the activity.
