Achieving dry storage requires utilizing the honey bees themselves to clean remaining honey residue from extracted supers. The two primary methods involve either restacking the equipment onto the hive in a specific configuration or placing the supers in an open area with bright light to encourage the bees to reclaim the honey.
The goal of dry storage is to remove all traces of wet honey from equipment before it is stored for the season. This is accomplished by leveraging the colony's instinct to gather resources, ensuring supers are clean and dry.
Method 1: The Hive Stacking Technique
Positioning the Supers
The most contained method for drying supers is to place them directly back onto the hive. However, simple stacking is not enough; placement is critical.
You must place the empty supers above the inner cover but under the top cover.
Preventing Refilling
The inner cover acts as a physical and psychological barrier for the colony.
By separating the empty supers from the main brood nest and honey stores with this cover, the bees generally perceive the residue as a resource to be reclaimed rather than a space to store new nectar.
This configuration allows them to clean the comb without refilling the cells with new honey.
Method 2: The Open Feeding Technique
Utilizing Bright Light
The second common approach involves removing the supers from the apiary stack entirely.
Beekeepers place the extracted supers in an area with bright light for open feeding.
The Cleaning Mechanism
In this environment, foragers from nearby colonies will locate the exposed equipment.
They will "rob" the remaining honey residue from the combs and transport it back to their respective hives.
Once the residue is depleted, the equipment is considered "dry" and ready for storage.
Understanding the Trade-offs
Control vs. Speed
Placing supers on the hive offers a controlled environment. It keeps the resources within a specific colony and protects the equipment from the elements.
However, it requires the physical labor of removing the hive lid and manipulating the stack for every batch of supers.
Exposure Risks
Open feeding in bright light can be faster for clearing large amounts of equipment.
However, this method exposes your equipment to the environment and relies on the collective activity of bees from potentially mixed colonies to do the work.
Making the Right Choice for Your Goal
To select the best method for your apiary, consider your capacity for lifting and your need for containment.
- If your primary focus is resource conservation: Use the hive stacking method to ensure the honey residue is reclaimed by a specific colony without external competition.
- If your primary focus is efficiency: Use the open feeding method in bright light to allow general foraging to clean the equipment before storage.
Clean equipment is the foundation of a successful start to the next season.
Summary Table:
| Feature | Hive Stacking Method | Open Feeding Method |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanism | Above inner cover, under top cover | Placement in open, bright light |
| Bee Behavior | Specific colony reclaims resources | Foragers from multiple hives "rob" residue |
| Main Advantage | Controlled environment & resource conservation | High efficiency for large volumes |
| Primary Risk | Higher physical labor for manipulation | Exposure to elements & cross-colony activity |
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