# Storing Honey Supers for Winter



## Benton2569 (Feb 26, 2007)

Just curious if anyone has tried this: An experienced beekeeper told me to put my empty honey supers back on top of the hive and leave em there for winter. He says to put em above the inner cover so the bees will clean out any remaining honey also thay will patrol the area and keep out the wax moths.

I usually store my supers in the garage after letting the bees clean things up.


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## Parke County Queen (May 22, 2006)

I put my wet supers above the inner cover for the girls to clean out. When I went to get them, I was amazed to find they were storing more honey up there. What's up with that? I didn't think they would do that.


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## Dan Williamson (Apr 6, 2004)

Parke County Queen said:


> I put my wet supers above the inner cover for the girls to clean out. When I went to get them, I was amazed to find they were storing more honey up there. What's up with that? I didn't think they would do that.


They'll do that if they need the room. I've placed an empty box on the inner cover and then the wet supers above that... that worked well and kept them from storing them there.

Others have recommended tying string around the box and turning them upside down as well. 

Empty box below the wet supers seems easier to me.. but whatever works for you.


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## lstclair (Mar 6, 2007)

Benton2569 said:


> Just curious if anyone has tried this: An experienced beekeeper told me to put my empty honey supers back on top of the hive and leave em there for winter. He says to put em above the inner cover so the bees will clean out any remaining honey also thay will patrol the area and keep out the wax moths.
> 
> I usually store my supers in the garage after letting the bees clean things up.


I'm interested in whether anyone stores empty supers on top of the hive, too. I have them above the inner covers right now, for the girls to finish drying out. Why not just leave them there for the winter?


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## Mike Gillmore (Feb 25, 2006)

In early spring the supers will have to come off anyway if you plan on doing inspections, syrup and pollen feeding. They will just be in the way at that point. I would rather have them stored in a controlled environment and treated for wax moths.

Also, it seems that having all that empty space above the brood box over winter would allow any rising heat from the cluster to pass through the inner cover and be lost. I wonder if it would be better to condense the hive configuration and contain as much heat as possible.


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## honeyman46408 (Feb 14, 2003)

I store mine ( I am not a BIG time operator ) wet inside in a 50 degree building.

I stack them 5 high then a 3/4" spacer and "Peramoth" on top of a piece of news paper then a plastic garbage bag over the stack then 5 more then 5 more (15) high air them for 2 to 4 days in spring when going back on the hives.


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## lstclair (Mar 6, 2007)

I've never used anything for moths (and would rather not), but last year, the supers apparently weren't as dry as I thought, and the frames molded. I'd like to avoid that again, but I'm not sure how to judge "dry." They've had a week to clean them out; should that be enough?


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