last winter's stores to feed this winter's bees?

[Karen fizz]

I lost two colonies last winter so still have a number of full supers which were not used by the bees. Currently they are stored in my garage and I'm wondering can I put them on to the hives for this winter (I have two colonies, one a good size and one a swarm from a bait hive)? If not, what is the best way toe extract the honey (I don't have a warming cabinet)
Thanks for any advice

[Patrick]

Hi Karen

Sorry to hear about your winter losses - you were not alone. Two out of ten is usually ok but two out of two a real pain. Glad to hear you are back on it.

You might only need a warming cabinet if it has granulated in the comb - let’s hope it has not. Scrape some capping off and see if it runs out. If so,it is liquid and the bees can use it.

Inevitably you have options - the simplest is just to put the supers on top without a Queen excluder (there is a hypothetical risk the cluster moves up into the supers and the queem is left out side the cluster “sieved out” by the excluder.

Other options can encourage the bees to rob the honey out of the supers into the brood box.

[nealh]

Even if granulated the feed can go back on, if the bees need it during the depth of winter or early spring they should uncap and use it just as they do with Ivy which granulates quickly.
I have a few super combs of ivy and plan to bolster colonies with it.