My bees collect honey very fast recently, but found 'lazy" to make comb full and cap them. If I transfer them to lower box, bees eat honey away and start laying eggs. Any good ideas to make bees quickly fill up comb and cap?
The bees will only cap honey that is fully cured down to a moisture content of 18%. The best thing you can do to help the process of curing is to ventilate your hive in order to move out the humid air.
As Phoneix say, they must ventilate moisture away. You cannot help it.
If you put their order uppside down you just distub them.
You duty is put new space for nectar and take capped honey away.
You can press them to keep them tight but they bees swarm easily.
Be happy that you are soon rich! :P Honey Millionaire.
Quote from: limywIf I transfer them to lower box, bees eat honey away and start laying eggs.
Are you sure they are not moving the honey?
Phoenix:
I have seen capped honey of 20%, as measured directly at the apiary on a refractometer. Some literature says honey of 20% mc will not ferment inside the hive, so bees will cap it and store it.
I am a very strong believer in hive ventilation.
In Guatemala, where I live, teh concept is either unknown or down right ignored. A couple of friends that I´ve spoken to have risked and tried screen bottoms and upper ventilation ports. These ports are actually a built-in feature of a feeding tray that sits on the top bars.
It is rainy season now, and it is very,very humid and warm. Both these bkeepers have reported htheir hives to be dry inside, no moist rubbish collected at bottom corners, no pests like ants and roaches, and an overall look of healthy, strong hives.
When it's ready, if they aren't using it for stores, they will cap it. Nothing you do will incite them to cap it before it's done. Nothing you do short of uncapping and putting it near the brood nest, will stop them from capping it.
It's out of your hands.
I noticed thin combs are capped faster then thicker combs (1.5 in or more). Anyone experience the same?
That would follow: ratio of surface area to volume would change as cells depth changes.
Well. this means to ripen honey faster, it is better to keep comb thin rather than thicker comb? No doubt thin comb give little honey and increase extraction works!
Quote from: limywI noticed thin combs are capped faster then thicker combs (1.5 in or more). Anyone experience the same?
I use thick cells.
Bees fill the cells and cap them when cells are full. I do not hurry them upp. They know that work with millions of years experience. I have just 40 years.
It means, more honey, faster capping. Not honey, not capping.