At 08:35  8/16/96 EDT, you wrote:
>---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
>Sender:       Discussion of Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
>Poster:       Aaron Morris <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject:      Early Harvest
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Ok, so I'm being a contientious beekeeper, pulling supers at the
>beginning of the fall flow so I can get the Apistan strips in to ensure
>that I'll have bees next spring.  Problem is, now that I still have a
>late summer population in my hives and no honey supers, the hives are
>CROWDED!  Most have massive bee beards on the bottom boards and I'm
>concerned that I will be encouraging late season swarms to ease the
>congestion.  I'm torn between giving back an empty super (which
>conflicts with Apistan treatment) and just letting the bees bear with
>the overpopulation.  If a hive were to swarm this late in the season
>it will be hard pressed to recover in time for winter, yet if I don't
>protect against mites the hives may be succeptible to similar losses
>as last year.  This is a real quandry.  Any suggestions?
>
>Aaron Morris - thinking, "Damned if you do, damned if you don't!?"
>
 
Aaron,
 
IMHO, I would put the empty super on.  There will be enough come and go,
over the next 45 days to treat adequately, you will possibly stave off the
late swarming and they will be able to actually store more for the winter.
 
 
Cheers,
 
 
Mike Wallace
Sar Shalom Apiary
McKinney, Texas   USA
"Out of the heart, the mouth speaks."