Hello
I was just wondering if anyone knows the moisture content of the honey just as they deliver it to the comb after getting it from the flowers?
I also just harvested some honey that was only partially capped, it was in the hive for several weeks and I thought it would come in a little higher but was only 16.5 % the max is 19.5 right??
Nectar (not honey) from flowers contains highly varying concentration of sugars. Our early season nectar concentration champion is Arroyo Willow (more than 50% concentration). Blue Gum Eucalyptus is only reported at 13%, but makes up for the dilution with unbelievable quantity.
Echium plantagineum, commonly known as purple viper's bugloss, is able to vary the concentration of nectar by time of day (2% to >60%). This allows it to "reward" its preferred pollinators. This pattern may be very common, but only lightly researched.
Honey is "hygroscopic" -- it can absorb moisture from the atmosphere. How's the weather been? Osmotic absorbtion is massive in humid wet weather. Does white sugar left on the table turn to syrup, does your salt cake in its salt cellar?
Nectar varies in composition -- the major sugars Sucrose (12 carbons) and its two 6 carbon constituents (Fructose and Glucose) are found in different ratios. Sucrose is less stable-- and evaporates (and crystallizes) much more quickly than the 6 carbon subcomponents. This is likely why bees enzymatically convert much of the sucrose to Fructose/Glucose mixture to make honey- they don't want the crystalized sugar.
Many web sources on nectar concentration -- one good one is Nectary Chemistry (//http://)
I strictly reject all frames that are not capped, they go back on the hive to finish. What's the rush to pull unfinished honey?
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You have nursed hives the whole year around, and now you have not time to wait that honey is really rippen = capped. I do not even have a moisture metre. I do not take risk for nothing,
just opinion.