There's no reason to feed syrup if you are going to harvest it. I'm confused. I think you could make your post clearer and shorter by first assigning variables.
The brood boxes in this hive are light on stores. My supers are mediums and the brood boxes are deeps. I am debating between A: leaving the super on so they can finish capping. Or B: pulling the partially capped super and placing a feeder so they can build stores in the brood boxes that I overwinter in.There's no reason to feed syrup if you are going to harvest it. I'm confused. I think you could make your post clearer and shorter by first assigning variables.
The more I consider doing this the more it makes sense. Thought about running all deeps instead of the mediums. Might try that with some splits next season.This is one of many reasons I use all medium hive bodies. I would take the uncapped honey and brood and distribute it throughout the rest of the hive and remove any empty frames.
Can't do that with mixed hive body sizes.
Its worker brood. When I said sacrifice the super I meant it as extracting uncapped honey which from what I understand is not dehydrated enough to be stable as a 100% honey product. If I pull the super early I can still extract the nectar/honey and feed it back to the bees. But I will not be able to harvest any for myself. If I leave it on and also feed then I risk contaminating the pure stuff with the syrup.Jonny
is the brood,, drone or worker? if it is worker they are winter bees, not the best ones to sacrifice, if drones then not needed IMO
Sacrifice, as it cut out and put in the trash?
Seems odd to me to take uncapped in OCT to then feed, but if you have the TIME to make it thru feed and cap then I guess it is fine.
Uncapped can be used for mead or cooking or rapid consumption fresh.
what is not OK with leaving it as is and feeding?
GG
I'm with you on that. Can't fill a deep super where I live or I would consider it.The more I consider doing this the more it makes sense. Thought about running all deeps instead of the mediums. Might try that with some splits next season.
Double nuc hives (like Michael Palmer's) might make sense. Most of your boxes would have 4 frames.Thought about running all deeps instead of the mediums.
Exactly what I was thinking. I think you need option 3. Just leave it in there for the winter. Go ahead and feed and let them finish it, allowing them to have an ample food source for the winter. Whatever they don't use you can take in the spring, or add it to a stack of supers for them to finish off.If you are a 1st year beek, just leave what is there and Don't harvest. If there is any hesitation as to if they have enough, leave what is there alone. You can feed too and they will take what they need