[Sickdog5]

I need to pull some supers off but was wondering if I have say a single brood box with 3 honey supers. If I pulled 2 supers off wouldn’t the brood box and remaining super become overcrowded possibly making them swarm? I mean there’s not bees on every frame but I am not sure how many because I do inspections mid day

 

[Hogback Honey]

What I do is, I put an empty super under the bee escape board. I worry about the same thing, where will all the, seemingly overpopulation, bees will fit.

 

[JConnolly]

Pull the supers, put on another brood box with undrawn frames, let them get to work drawing comb. Even if you aren't planning on it for winter, use the bee force you have now to increase your resources.

 

[Sickdog5]

Pull the supers, put on another brood box with undrawn frames, let them get to work drawing comb. Even if you aren't planning on it for winter, use the bee force you have now to increase your resources.

Was thinking the same thing. Golden rod is just starting to bloom. Do you think they can get a deep drawn out and full before winter?

 

[COAL REAPER]

Was thinking the same thing. Golden rod is just starting to bloom. Do you think they can get a deep drawn out and full before winter?

i cant in new jersey

 

[Fivej]

I have never found all that many bees in the supers to make me worry about that, although I run 2 or 3 deeps. I doubt that it will be a problem, especially if you plan on returning the super after extraction. IMO, no way you can get a deep drawn out before winter. Which leads me to ask, what configuration are you planning for winter? Most in your area would want to go into winter with 2 deeps and a med super of stores. You can extract those, but be prepared to start feeding very soon. J

 

[John_M]

You aren't that far from me and I always, or almost always got as much from my fall flow as I did from the summer flow. Goldenrod here in the valley started a week ago, should be underway soon on the hills. Haven't looked at bamboo yet but it should start soon. Asters are underway. we have had ample rain so it should be a decent fall flow but it starting this early has me wondering if we are going to get an early frost.

Personally, I would shuffle my brood nest between two deeps with foundation between frames of brood and let them go to town. If not pulling a fall harvest I would also add some feed. But that's just what I would do and much depends on the colony's strength and stores.

 

[Sickdog5]

Last year I overwintered with a single brood chamber and a med. all my colonies survived knock on wood. Just didn’t want them to get overcrowded and swarm if I pulled too many supers.

 

[JConnolly]

Do you think they can get a deep drawn out and full before winter?

You've got winter honey stores for them in the super you were going to leave right? So it doesn't matter. You are doing it to give them space and something to do. You've got a strong worker force, the brood nest is shrinking, and idle workers gotta do something. May as well let them build useful comb instead of putting it below, above and between the frames. What frames do you need the most? If you need deep frames drawn put a deep box on, if you need medium frames then do a medium box. You'll be pulling that new box back off in three or four weeks. Whatever they completed is a head-start next spring. Use a queen excluder so you don't get any brood up in there that will keep you from pulling it back off in a few weeks.