Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: JackM on March 26, 2013, 08:46:11 PM

Title: crystalized in the comb
Post by: JackM on March 26, 2013, 08:46:11 PM
What do you do with honey that has crystalized in the comb.  No amount of extracting removes it.  Just set it out for cleaning with the rest of the harvested frames?
Title: Re: crystalized in the comb
Post by: Joe D on March 27, 2013, 12:14:47 AM
The bees will take care of it.  Its a mite early for you to be extracting isn't it.




Joe
Title: Re: crystalized in the comb
Post by: BeeMaster2 on March 27, 2013, 12:44:29 AM
I built a honey heater that I can put frames into and heat it up 105 degrees. That will turn it back into honey but I wonder if it would be worth it because it may just crystallize right away again.
I found the design here on this site. If I can find It, i will post it. It works really nice, the only problem is that a 100 watt bulb just barely makes it to  107 degrees. I am looking for a bigger bulb for mine. Darn Feds have got there nose into bulbs  now which makes it hard to get them.
Jim

Build this, http://www.michiganbees.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Bucket-Heater_20100726.pdf (http://www.michiganbees.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Bucket-Heater_20100726.pdf)
Title: Re: crystalized in the comb
Post by: Finski on March 27, 2013, 08:31:01 AM
Quote from: JackM on March 26, 2013, 08:46:11 PM
What do you do with honey that has crystalized in the comb.  No amount of extracting removes it.  Just set it out for cleaning with the rest of the harvested frames?


if you use combs as brood comb for normal hive or swarms, bees will clean them.

One way is
- uncap combs
- spray  water on crystals
- next day fill cells with water and bees will handle the rest.
This way you save the valuable honey.

If you do not spray water, bees may carry crystals out like sand.

.if you have few frames, put them in summer between brood combs.

.bees must have super where they move the honey.

.
Title: Re: crystalized in the comb
Post by: JackM on March 27, 2013, 08:38:29 AM
Yep it is early, but I left them way too much honey and did not put on an empty box so they were getting honey bound.  I guess they go after the maples I was told.