First Extraction

javelin · January 20, 2019, 03:09:49 AM

Hello there,

Had my first extraction last week. Fabulous. 8 frames of WSP yielded 14kg of honey. Thanks to Vince and Joe at NB BK A.

Did an inspection of brood 2 days after and found a queen cup. I can only attribute this to the brood being covered for 3 hours on a 30 + degree day.

1 FD box, 1 WSP super.

Any thoughts on this?

Cheers,
Rohan

Crysalismum · January 20, 2019, 08:13:30 AM

Thats a great first harvest! I have an 8 frame ideal and had no idea how much honey you get from them.

Acebird · January 20, 2019, 08:52:41 AM

Quote from: javelin on January 20, 2019, 03:09:49 AM
8 frames of WSP yielded 14kg of honey.

Rohan, you took 8 frames from a hive that had two boxes? Seems aggressive to me.

Live Oak · January 20, 2019, 01:32:08 PM

Not sure exactly what the nectar flow situation is the in Ozzieland in those extremely hot temperatures. Bee sure to monitor the amount of honey the bees are able to recover after your extraction so they will have adequate honey stores to carry them through the colder season. I like to ensure at minimum each hive has a deep brood box of frames full of capped honey. It not, I feed them sugar syrup until they do or continue feeding into Fall and Winter which I am doing now. If there is a drought or dearth in the nectar flow, keep a close eye on the amount of pollen the bees are bringing in. If they are not able to find adequate pollen, this can be a problem. In cold climates, late late Summer and Fall is when the hives are producing their Winter bees which will live 6 months and are physiologically different to warm season bees which live about 6 weeks. Nutrition is critical for the production of these bees which will see the hive through Winter into Spring.

max2 · January 20, 2019, 04:28:08 PM

javelin, Acebird is have a go at you.
You are in Manly. Manly does not get a winter. It probably never goes below 15C.
With all the backyards and the bush around you, you may well have one of your main-flows in winter - and winter is a long way off:)

javelin · January 21, 2019, 01:14:45 AM

Thanks for all the replies.

I had an experienced beekeeper observing with me. I had thought to take only 7 frames, but he assured me the girls would be fine.

Just wondering if anyone had any thoughts on the queen cup situation?

Cheers,
Rohan

max2 · January 21, 2019, 03:22:21 AM

What do you mean by " Queen Cup"? And old Queen cell? or a capped queen cell?

javelin · January 21, 2019, 05:46:41 AM

It looked like a queen cell, uncapped and empty. I thought these were called queen cups.

max2 · January 21, 2019, 07:46:18 AM

It is an old cell/cup. Nothing to worry about.

Acebird · January 21, 2019, 09:47:53 AM

Quote from: max2 on January 20, 2019, 04:28:08 PM
You are in Manly. Manly does not get a winter. It probably never goes below 15C.

No concern about winter. More concerned about moisture of the honey and if nectar was present. Maybe he is using a QE but still.

javelin · January 21, 2019, 07:41:10 PM

Cheers for that.

Yeah using an excluder.

Acebird · January 22, 2019, 09:58:57 AM

The excluder keeps the brood out but doesn't stop them from storing nectar and pollen upstairs.