# Genaral hive/ honey questions



## Sundance (Sep 9, 2004)

Do not feed with honey supers on.

Your supers are filled with not honey,
but sugar.


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## Sundance (Sep 9, 2004)

It's a shame, but I'd pull the supers
and store or freeze them and feed them
back in the fall.

Pull your feeders immediatly and add
clean, empty supers and perhaps you
may get a taste.


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## Sundance (Sep 9, 2004)

No reason to requeen unless they
are not performing well.


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## carbide (Nov 21, 2004)

As Sundance said, the supers are most likely filled with sugar instead of honey. If you're lucky, there may be some nectar mixed in with the supers. The bees will feed on the most advantageous supply that they can find. Up until now they have been feeding on and storing the sugar water that you have been providing them. 
Remove the supers post haste.

Place the empty mediums on your hives and as Sundance says you may get some real honey in them. Once the honey is fully capped it is best to harvest the honey immediately since some honey will crystalize quickly in the comb.

There is no need to requeen your hives unless the queens are performing badly (spotty brood pattern, agressive bees, poor nectar gathering performance, etc.).


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## Madison68 (Jul 13, 2006)

Thanks for the advice Sundance and carbide. I went in today to do the deed. I found that my two supers were both full and almost capped. I was going to take them off but I removed some burr comb below them which contained honey. I tried it and it seemed to me to be honey. so here's what I did. I removed the feeders, put the medium super under the full super. I then put in the crisco patties and then the inner cover. I staggered the hives for ventilation. I'm hoping to try the supers and see if maybe they are actually filled with honey. Any other way to tell other than taste? My queens are doing a great job so I will keep them until next season. I was told to requeen once A year in the fall. But I will go with your advice. I have a ferrel hive on my property up in an old poplar that has been their for 6 years. They are what got me into this hobby, I found them to be very interesting although I cannot get close enough to really see them. Appreciate the help, Madison


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## Sundance (Sep 9, 2004)

If you were feeding a gallon a day to
these colonies, you have sugar syrup,
not honey.

It may well look like it, taste a bit
like it (after all the ladies process
it as well), but is is NOT honey.

Feel free to eat it yourself. Won't kill
you, and I am sure it tastes OK. But don't
sell it or give it as Honey.

My best laying queen is in her second year.
Requeen when you need to. Bad brood pattern,
nasty behavior, etc.

Sorry if I sounded a bit nasty....... I get
carried away.


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