[roberts0909]

I have a hive with a single deep as the brood box and two supers packed with capped honey. How much should I leave for them?

Background:
I was given this very healthy, three-year-old hive a few months back. We are in Central Texas, where the experienced keepers tell us that this honey flow is way above average. But I've also heard that there will be a dearth before the fall flow. I am much more concerned about the bees than harvesting. I can feed if need be.

My two other hives are new this year, so I think I should leave them alone.

Thank you!

 

[Richinbama]

I'd take a box off. Leave the other, and put a box of frames with drawn comb, or frame with foundation in between them. Let em fill that, and pull early fall just before the end of fall flow. Then feed em like crazy till winter hits. Also, give em a brood box before the next flow in fall. Let em grow bees, and leave no less that 1 box of sugar syrup for winter. Mabye a bit more if needed in your area. Hope this is right for your area. Good.luck... rich

 

[burns375]

I already pulled my honey for the year. In my area they may put on a little honey, the strongest hives but nothing significant, our fall flow is small. You want to make sure they have a few frames of honey to keep them from starving during dearth.

I harvest twice per year, the last week in May and then I pull all the honey supers by July 4th and leave just 1 empty on until i start feeding in fall. I only feed the light hives to a weight of about 30-40lbs of stores. They don't need much in my area, 5-6 deep frames.

 

[sr4440]

you have plenty of honey on your hive, i would take one box off and extract then put the wet super back on. The fall golden rod flow will start around the 1st or 2nd week in sept. if you don't add space or remove honey, they will swarm. You will need around 30-40 lbs on Thanksgiving.

Joe

 

[roberts0909]

I harvested the top super. I didn't put it back on, but placed it nearby and they (and presumably bees from the other two hives) are getting the remaining honey out of it. I put in a new deep and moved the remaining full super on top of it. From what I hear a full medium super is 60+ lbs of honey so they should be ok until the fall flow.

Thanks all!

 

[Richinbama]

Be careful not to put those frames too close !!! Robbing will happen allot. Say 75 to 100 yards away to be safe. The bees will love ya. Rich

 

[Riverderwent]

I overwinter (and over summer) with 3 eight frame medium boxes. I would not hesitate to harvest the top super in my location northeast of you.

 

[roberts0909]

Thanks all!