Honey Harvest Clean-up Question

tillie · May 26, 2007, 07:06:54 PM

I took a super of honey off of my biggest hive today and did crush and strain. I need to put the frames back on the hive for clean-up.

Do I have to put them on the hive they came from? It's a very tall hive (1 deep, 2 mediums, 2 shallows, a slatted rack and a ring for a small hive beetle trap) at this point and I am wondering if I could give it to the hive next to it (only 3 mediums) to clean up.

Linda T a short person in Atlanta.

Jerrymac · May 26, 2007, 07:31:38 PM

Most people will tell you to put it on the same hive to prevent the spread of disease. But I always place the wet stuff away from the bee yard and let them all have at it.

But then I don't mind sharing with the local feral bees. Perhaps they will swarm and give me more bees.

doak · May 26, 2007, 08:47:48 PM

Try to get them as far away from your hives as possible. Helps prevent robbing frenzies.
doak

tillie · May 26, 2007, 09:06:28 PM

I'm planning to put them on a hive for clean-up under the cover and everything - the question is:

which hive? Does it have to be the hive the comb came from?

LT always confused and learning :-D

Kirk-o · May 26, 2007, 09:31:57 PM

I would put it on the one you took it from.Reward them for a job well done
kirko

Jerrymac · May 26, 2007, 09:36:08 PM

I was sort of hinting that I personally don't think it matters which one. Is there one that needs some extra provisions?

tillie · May 26, 2007, 09:38:49 PM

You're always so nice Jerry - Kirk-o too - I'll give it back to the ones that made it, I'll just have to stand on a Rubbermaid stool to do it!

Maybe tomorrow I'll take another super off so it won't be so tall....they are almost ready with one that I want to cut comb, but I didn't feel like it was quite there yet today.

Linda T grateful for all the support

trapperbob · May 26, 2007, 10:52:12 PM

Why not just stick it on top and see if they fill it again if they do bonus if not no big loss.

tillie · May 26, 2007, 11:34:31 PM

I'm going to put it on top - the problem is that the hive is really tall - if they do fill it, I'll have a hard time getting it off....but we have a terrible drought here and the flow is almost over, so they will probably clean it and that's all.

Linda T lazy in Atlanta

doak · May 27, 2007, 03:24:53 AM

I put two on a hive the other day for cleanup. Left the inner cover on. went back the next day and both were full of bees. Didn't get back today so will have to peep in tomorrow. It was the swarm I caught in march and have got two supers of honey off it already.
Had to put the third deep on it before the main flow came. They are working well through an excluder.
doak

Michael Bush · May 27, 2007, 10:33:21 AM

Keeping track of what hive they came off of is a nice idea. I've never done it.

TwT · May 27, 2007, 12:20:01 PM

when I extract my supers I set 2 or 3 ladders on blocks and set the extracted supers on the ladders and let the bee's clean them a day or so, then I put most of them in bags and set in a freezer for a day, I give every hive a empty super back for small flows until the dearth

Brian D. Bray · May 28, 2007, 12:32:41 AM

Tillie, if the height of the hive gets too big take a page out of Understudy's book and put a step ladder on the roof of your pickup. Nothing short of a skyscraper is out of reach then.

Really, if you want to do cut and strain and you're using starter strips (like me) then just remove the super, cut out the combs and then put it back for them to clean up and rebuild before you process the cut out comb honey. You can put a frame or 2 of starter strips in the super below to give the bees something to do until the super is returned. If done right you never have to get above 5-6 medium boxes in size when using 4 as the brood chamber.