# Time to leave bees honey yet or can I still take some?



## jamiev (Sep 14, 2005)

I have taken some summer honey from my first year hive, about 14 lbs in early Aug. ( i am a newbee)
I have had two med honey supers on for a few weeks now and I am not sure but I believe tomorrow when I inspect, there may be at least 6 or maybe as many as 14 more frames of capped honey. Is this considered summer honey and will there be time for them to store more honey by winter? Would feeding them in the fall be enough for them to catch up if they are short?
I s there a honey flow in Sept? Goldenrod is opening here, unusually early I understand.
I have had conflicting advice re winter honey storage requirements. In my climate in Upstate NY, should Ileave 40, 60,lbs, or even more honey for the winter? Any locals have advice for me? Any beekeepers in similar cold snowy climates care to help? 
I also have two weak hives that barely built up to three mediums. I am not sure if they will ever have time to build up honey stores so I bought some permacomb to give all the honey storing foragers a nice head start. Supers go on those two tomorrow. I am also going to add a permacomb super to the first hive as it seems to be very active any advice?


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I'd shoot for 100 to 120 pounds in Update NY with Italians. Less with Carniolans.

Yes you can feed them to try to catch up. If they are strong it shouldn't be a problem. If they are weak it sometimes sets off robbing.

They may make more honey yet, depending on the rain and how early it frosts. We have goldenrod, smartweed, partridge peas and chickory blooming now.


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## jamiev (Sep 14, 2005)

Thanks Michael
i have two hives of carnolians and one of italians
The strongest one is a carnolian hive. 
I just checked it this pm and there are 14 frames in the two supers ranging from 6-9 frames of partially drawn and filling with honey simultaneously to 3-5 almost fully drawn, mostly filled with honey to a few full of uncapped honey... none are capped yet. They are going kind of slow. Is this normal? 
It seems i will not be taking much more honey.
if 100 lbs ++ is the goal. How do i speed up the process? I have SBB's, tops are slightly propped for added ventilation. 
I am concerned about the two hives that have barely reached three med brood chambers. Will Fall feeding give them the opportunity to accumulate that much honey and should I consider combining these two hives?


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