REGARDING           re> Extracted Supers
 
Jim Moore writes:
"What is typically done with supers after extraction? How does one
prepare and where do one store them for the winter? I placed them back on the
hive to get cleaned up but don't expect to leave them there for the winter.
 
        Both my hives will be 2 deeps with a medium when I place the apistan.
Should the medium with honey be left for the winter or stored and put on in
the
spring? The medioum super are not yet capped."
 
In my opinion, backed up by sad experience, now is the time to get on the
Apistan strips.  I would take the medium super and extract it, even if it is
not capped, and put it and the others on a stack near your hives for the bees
to clean out.  Put a queen excluder under the stack, elevate it a little with
a couple boards; you will keep mice out and the bees will do a great job in
cleaning and drying out your supers.  I have done this for years and have
never had any problem at all with robbing of hives.  You could leave them on
top of the hive, as you have done, but then you could not immediately give
Apistan, and in case of a fall flow, honey could reappear in the supers.
 
I store these bee-cleaned supers in a dry room with a queen excluder or a hive
cover on top of the stack (mice prevention again).  Wax moths will not be a
problem if the combs are dry and free of pollen or brood remnants.  If these
conditions do not hold, you will need to put paradiclorobenzene crystals on
top of the stack (not touching comb) to control wax moths.
 
Ted Fischer