Just wondering if any of guys produce comb honey in the hot states, TX, AZ,NM. For some reason our bee's up here are refusing to draw out the thin surplus. It not just my bee's but everyones at least in my part of the state. I have a friend that is in a panic over this. He has orders for 3000 section and the bee's are not cooperating. I dont see alot of these so usually I do 6 or 7 supers. 3 weeks ago I finally resorted to splitting the brood nest with a comb honey super on a couple of strong colonies. I expected the next check one week later would have something going but I was wrong. 2nd week the same thing and finally the 3rd they had started working so I moved it to the top. The only thing that has changed for us is no rain and high temps kinda like you southern guys deal with every year
I should add to this that I have drawn out 250 new brood frames and at least 100 super frames this summer
Our club handed out a couple of cut comb frames to volunteers so that we could sell it at the county fair. The only person that I know of that had any success added it to his own cut comb foundation. It does not work very well to add 2 frames to a super of regular foundation, they just build into it not on it.
Sounds like you are using full supers so I don.t think that is the problem. If you put on that much honey, you must have a flow on, another requirement. Did you try spraying sugar water on the foundation? That might help.
Jim
I am using 10 frame shallows and 1 " thin surplus starter strips just like I always have. This is our biggest flow of the year with star thistle and I know the drought is messing it up. They flowers are everywhere but I dont see alot of bee activity like most years.
I do know in New England you got to do comb honey section on the main flow and you needs lots and lots of bees in the hive and yes at is an art to get comb honey section all full out
IMHO A good book or 2
How to raise beatifnl comb honey by Richard Taylor
Honey in the Comb Book by Gene Killion
BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)
danno.......
Are you doing cut comb honey ??
Or
Comb honey section ?? (Ross Round,Bee-O-Pack,Basswood Section Boxed)
BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)
Quote from: Jim 134 on July 13, 2012, 03:15:24 PM
danno.......
Are you doing cut comb honey ??
Or
Comb honey section ?? (Ross Round,Bee-O-Pack,Basswood Section Boxed)
BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)
Jim
I do cut comb and I have both of the books. The elderly gentalman that I mentioned at the start of this thread also does cut comb. Actually that is all that he does. He has been doing it for over 50 years and he told me this just doesn't make sense.
In New England the dearth are on all spring and hives are dieing in June not a good honey year at all.
BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)
Danno, I have been having the same problem. Flowers everywhere and the bees want to hang out on front of hive. Last year the air was roaring everyday. Not now. Harold