Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

I  harvested two deeps last month  from my strong hive and now have a medium and deep super on the hive. Both are about 1/2 to 3/4 capped with a good amount of uncapped on each frame. Some of the frames are close to 100% capped and some only 25% capped.  Is there any way to condense the two supers to get the bees to at least cap off one of them ?

Thanks, Ray

Hello

  Your bees are not ready to cap it if it still has some water left in it they will only cap it when the time is right. Honey is mde from the nector they bring in so it is mostly water so it has to go thru a process so there is no water left in it and when it is ready they will cap it you may try to give them some ventilation when it is hot by cracking the top on your hive that will help them in not only keeping the hive cool but to help get rid of some of the water in the honey.

Tom

Thanks for the idea. Seems like there has been no progress in several weeks on the capping.

? If there is not much nectar coming in, will they leave some of it uncapped for easy access or will they always cap it when the moisture % is just right?

Thanks, Ray.

Little or no nectar means no or little honey or comb being made.  The situation will usually correct itself with the advent of a later in the season flow.  However, the later in the season the flow begins the more likely you are to have to feed the bees to get them into shape for winter.  Most novice beekeepers push the panic button to early start feeding when there are still 2 or 3 flows left.

Thanks. I definately am a novice and and it seems every week I find out more that I don't know.

So, one more question, please.

If more flows are coming, would any honey produced be for me or for their winter use?

Thanks, Ray.

if you have two brood boxes with lots of honey u could still extract but if they dont get anough for themselves than youll need to feed

Thanks, we'll wait and see how the flows go.

Ray

Supers are intented for harvest.  In practice the brood chamber should hold enough stores to tide the hive over during the winter.  That is, assuming the brood producton is reduced and the comb once used for brood is filled in with honey.  If, in late September, the brood chamber still has unfilled areas then it may be necessary to feed.

When harvesting honey remember that the higher percentage of uncapped cells means higher water content which means honey that will either ferment quickly or sugar quickly.

One stratagy (especially if only one size box is used) is to take the uncapped frames and give them back to the weaker hives to aid them in developing sufficient winter stores.  This also keeps the water content in the extracted honey low.

I leave the girls a ten frame medium for winter plus whatever is in their brood box. At the end of the season, I can go through a couple of supers on a hive and try to get enough frames to extract, leaving any uncapped or less than 80% frames in the supers. After the season is completely done, I will freeze any frames that were not ready for extraction and give them back in spring.

Thanks for the info. It sounds like I still have time to wait and watch and see how the next flows go. It's been pretty dry here for the last few weeks , lets hope for a little rain.

Thanks, Ray

Bees cap honey when they get it more and they get cells filled. They stop comb building and capping if honey flow stops.

Bees cap honey when they get it more and they get cells filled. They stop comb building and capping if honey flow stops.

If you have 2 half filled box you may feed the other one that bees get one full.

Before winter bees gather often honey from marginal areas and fill the emerged brood cells in the center. They start wintering from this site.

It is better look inside and state the situation. Then feed the hive with sugar and stop worring. Bad way is to feed along winter and disturb hives wintering.  If you think, bees do not get food during winter. They make they winter storages and eat it.

Quote from: Finsky.
If you have 2 half filled box you may feed the other one that bees get one full.


? How do I  "FEED" a half box back to the hive? Do I place it outside the front or inside somehow?

Thanks, Ray

I believe Finsky was saying that if you have 2 supers, each half full then combine them into one box.

Thankyou all for the replies. Hoping to get one more extraction for the year. Thanks, Ray