Mite treatment with Honey supers on

[BarbieandKen]

Hi - if we are going to keep the honey super on the hive for the bees for the winter, may we keep the super on while using Apiguard or apilifevar? I have read conflicting opinions on this....

Thanks!

[Beeslave]

If that super and frames are permanently going to stay with the hive then yes it is OK.

If you plan on extracting the honey leftover in the spring then NO.

[nc checkers]

What I would do is use the old inner covers and place the wafers on the top bars below your honey super. Then put on the inner cover and the honey super on top of it. Then cover the super. You want the bees to move that honey down into their brood boxes.

[honeyshack]

I believe all mite treatments recommended by the manufacture because of the ...FDA...CFIA....and anyother government regulations...advise the removal of all honeysupers before and during and to follow the recommended withdrawal times of all treatments.
That said....the treatments are based on either a one or two chamber brood boxes. Any more boxes will decrease the effacy of the treatment. Not to mention contaminate the supers. Those frames would never be allowed into honey production...ever!
Finally if you ever got your boxes mixed up, and for some reason they came to test your honey because they suspected "foul play" with drug withdrawals, not only will you be fined, but you will put your reputation at risk with your clients, and in the end, tarnish all beeks reps
Just follow the directions please

[BarbieandKen]

It's interesting, the Wisconsin Dept of Ag says you can leave the supers on but must wait 30 days after treatment ends before extracting. I found that on a Google search. That's what got me confused. We have in the past, always removed the honey supers.

[wildflowerlanehoney]

what is the typical amount of time to leave off honey supers when treating mites with anything other than powdered sugar? i have never had any trouble with mites, so i am just curious.