Marc Sevigny wrote:

> My question: is it wise/OK/advisable to add a
> honey super now?  The honey flow here doesn't
> begin for another 2-3 weeks, but the population
> seemed high.  Will adding another super relieve
> the congestion?
>
> Is it OK to use a queen excluder to keep the queen
> from moving up into the empty comb and begin laying
> there? I have had this problem in previous years.  Will
> the congestion be alleviated by a honey super on top
> of an excluder?  What is standard protocol under these
> conditions?

My advice would be to add a super if you have taken out the Apistan
strips.  Your last question is interesting in that there seems to be no
standard protocol.  I for sure would add an excluder, as I do to each
and every one of my colonies with supers.  Others would not, but would
allow the queen to go up now in hopes that she will go down again later
as honey fills the super.  Sometimes this happens as planned, sometimes
not.  What you do all depends upon how comfortable you are with brood
(even temporarily) in your supers.

Ted Fischer
Dexter, Michigan USA