Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => DOWN UNDER BEEKEEPING => Topic started by: damienpryan on April 06, 2019, 09:59:50 pm
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Hi All,
I've got 10 hives in the Melbourne suburbs.
After a late summer lull they about half of them seem a lot heavier (2 10 frame boxes).
And I can smell nectar.
Should I do one more extraction?
I'm afraid if I leave them with too much honey over winter they will swarm over Spring.
I've never had a hive die of starvation over winter in Melbourne so am tempted to pull some more honey out.
What do people think ?
Cheers
Damien
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I usually do a fall extraction is there is a good late flow. I do it as part of my fall inspection. First I make sure there is enough honey left for each hive and then I remove the rest.
Jim Altmiller
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I'm afraid if I leave them with too much honey over winter they will swarm over Spring.
Swarming rightly should not impact on your wintering decisions Damien as it is a Spring
management issue. To handout advice now more info is needed, really.
Like, what is your config policy for stacks - 8frm/10frm..?... double or single BC..?.. mixed
frame style or all FD..?.. all factors in how stores will be consumed over winter.
Cheers.
Bill