Author Topic: what to do overwinter with partially filled supers? (Read 2180 times)

yoderski · « **on:** October 07, 2006, 08:42:25 pm »

Here in Alabama, the honey season was all concentrated in the spring, due to the summer drought, and now I am trying to prepare my 2 hives for the winter. My problem is that both hives have a deep and then 2 partially filled medium supers. I have been told that I need at least a medium super for them to overwinter, but will having 2 partially filled ones be okay, as far as wintering? There is no good way to combine the supers at this point. I considered putting 2 partially filled supers and let them rob it into both hives--or is that totally unnecessary? What would you seasoned beekeepers do? i don't know how much more honey they will make down here, but we have a lot of blooming goldenrod right now, but I don't see the bees on it yet......Jon

Brian D. Bray · « **Reply #1 on:** October 07, 2006, 09:53:16 pm »

At this point i would set up each hive so that each had the deep brood box plus one medium ( since that's standard in your area). I would then consolidate as many of the drawn frames into those mediums as possible (thereby concolidating the undrawn frames into another box) and then feed both hives until the medium was full of drawn comb and capped honey.

Robo · « **Reply #2 on:** October 07, 2006, 11:07:01 pm »

I would suggest getting each hive into the winter configuration (1 deep and 1medium) pick the heaviest medium frames from the two partial mediums. Put the inner cover on followed by and empty medium super (no frames) and then your second partial medium, then the cover. The bees will then rob out the top super and move it down below the inner cover. Once empty, remove the mediums above the inner cover.

yoderski · « **Reply #3 on:** October 08, 2006, 09:05:36 am »

Thanks for the help, I will see what I can do to get it into that configuration......I don't have an inner cover, but I would be able to fashion a substitute....

Robo · « **Reply #4 on:** October 08, 2006, 09:39:44 am »

Quote from: yoderski

I don't have an inner cover, but I would be able to fashion a substitute....

A piece of cardboard with an escape hole in it would be fine for the short period of time you would need it. Better yet, "aquire" a coroplast (plastic cardboard) election sign