In a message dated 27/08/02 05:03:45 GMT Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

<< there were no bees
 in the supers yesterday and no new honey. I'm on a brood and a half  and
 they were loaded with capped and uncapped honey.  >>


Ross,

I may be teaching Granny to suck eggs as I have no direct experience of
heather honey in my area.  However, from what you say, you may not have
prepared for the heather adequately.  I see no point in brood and a half, and
if there is so much room in the chambers that the bees are storing honey
there rather than upstairs then the boxes are not doing their job as brood
chambers.

It may be too late for this year but maybe next time you should consider that
the bees are now preparing for winter.  The brood best is declining and they
will pack winter stores around it as it shrinks.  To counteract this, when
you go to the heather rearrange your brood so that the oldest is in the
middle and the youngest to the outside.  This maintains a larger brood nest
for longer as they will be disinclined to split a brood nest with seams of
stores when the middle frames emerge.  You may take to opportunity to reduce
your stocks (to save winter feeding) and insert extra frames of brood in the
bees going to the heather.  When the brood nest is full of brood the bees
will have nowhere but the supers to put the honey.

Chris