[Spaniel3]

I have 2 deep supers and then a medium super on the top that is full. Anyone see a problem with removing the second deep super and leaving just one deep super and one medium for the winter? Also, any advice on how to remove the top deep super would be appreciated.

 

[elmer_fud]

I dont know the weather in your area, but a single deep medium may not be enough for your hive to make it thru the winter. I would leave them the deep for the winter

 

[Ravenseye]

You "might" be OK but keep some things in mind. How full is "full"? Make sure that the frames are really full of honey...top to bottom if possible. Weight is a more accurate measure of how much honey you'll be leaving. Also, consider that the bees may need their stores between now and the end of the season so what is there today may not there later. If you do take honey, consider fall feeding before the nights get cool and give them space to dry and store the syrup.

 

[Eikel]

You mentioned all supers but assume you're talking about going to a single deep brood box and a medium super. I'm also in hardiness zone 6b and use a deep/medium configuration to overwinter but I also give them sugar bricks. It's the late winter/early spring cold snaps that do the most overwinter harm in my area

 

[Spaniel3]

Thanks for all of the advice. I usually continue to feed with syrup until they stop consuming it. I will most likely leave the two deep supers and take the medium for the honey. It is easier for me to do that since the deep super will be very heavy and more importantly, I think it will really disrupt the hive if I take one of the deep supers. I figure I can always harvest again in the Spring if there is lots of honey left from the winter. Thanks all - I appreciate the support.

 

[crofter]

<snip> I will most likely leave the two deep supers and take the medium for the honey. It is easier for me to do that since the deep super will be very heavy.<snip>

You mentioned all supers but assume you're talking about going to a single deep brood box and a medium super. <Snip>

Your choice of terms to describe the boxes makes for some confusion. Commonly "super" is considered a honey storage box superimposed upon the brood box (boxes) below. The difference gets blurred though if you are running unlimited brood system. Do you really have two deeps filled with honey? Is there brood in any of the boxes you are considering removing? You may have to wait till the brooding moves down to lower boxes. That may influence which boxes to remove. It was good advice to determine how much honey really there is in the frames you leave on. Ideally what will be the top box come spring when brood up starts should contain a fair bit of pollen cells. If that box was used mainly as honey storage it may be short on pollen. Boxes lower in the stack will have more pollen.

The bees will almost always arrange stores for their advantage but if you screw with their arrangements too late in the season for them to correct, you may cause them grief.

I find my local honey is often too crystallized to extract by spring time.