Another varroa sugar shake

I opened the hives today and did another powdered sugar shake. There were lots of dead SHBs (small hive beetles) in the apple cider traps. I emptied the traps and put in new apple cider.

There also were many SHBs in the hives. I couldn't see any damage to the comb, but I think it's only a matter of time. I squashed every one I saw in the inner cover - 12 - 15 on each hive.

The hives are in an odd place when it comes to honey. Destin is very heavy in the bottom medium and deep super. They are probably in good supply for the winter. They had a super on the hive that had very little honey in it. I left it on the hive so that I could keep the SHB trap there (it's placed in a shallow frame)

Next week I'll need to make a final decision about this super. Probably I'll feed the bees inside an empty super and keep the frame with the SHB trap in that super, but I may need to remove the frames from that super.....I'll need to get some advice from seasoned beekeeps to know what to do.


I took the final super off of Bermuda, but it wasn't as heavy with pollen and honey. I may need to feed those bees next week as well.

The fall is an odd beekeeping time. I don't know what to do with the partially filled super frames which are all shallows. Do I leave them on the hive for the bees? Do I take the honey from them and feed the bees in case there isn't enough in the way of stores in the medium and deep?

These are questions that I am reading up on and pondering in the discussion forum sites for the next couple of weeks. Meanwhile here is Bermuda in its diminshed state with only the deep and the medium super for the winter.