Sticky crush and strain leftovers

Cindi · January 29, 2008, 10:07:49 AM

I am deeply curious to know what ya'll do with the left over crush and strain stuff. The stuff I have left over is muck, a combination of honey, pollen, wax, cocoons, probably some bee parts. It has drained off all the honey that possibly could be drained off.

Last year I gave the wax cappings to the bees to clean up, I used an Imirie shim type idea and they went to town on it. The cappings were quite loose, not like the crush and strained aftermath.

But, now I wonder, if I gave this muck back to the bees on top of the inner cover (with a hole in it so the bees can go up) within the confines of the shim, will they suck out the honey that is still in the muck? I need some answers here because it would seem to me that it would be very difficult to get the honey out for the bees.

On the other hand, I suppose I could wash the crush and strain leftovers and use that honey water to make any sugar syrup food that I will be needing to make this year for the bees, that would be a pretty thick water that would do well for the bees. There is no disease in the colonies, so feeding back the honey to them all is safe. Have a great and awesome day. Cindi

Kathyp · January 29, 2008, 11:01:21 AM

cindi, you can use a double boiler, add some water, and melt it all down. you may get some usable wax out of it. mine was a little dirty, but i used it for securing foundation. you will be able to separate the yuk from the honey. you can take the cooled honey water and put it out for the bees. you may need to run it through a nylon or something.

i did this with the bits of the barn cutout that were left over. it was pretty dirty and old stuff.

limyw · January 29, 2008, 11:03:28 AM

I normally placed them in a tray and left them inside hives. The bees will suck 100% of leftover honey and remove unwanted objects so finally produce very clean wax. Anyway, this may take a few days. Good day.

Jerrymac · January 29, 2008, 11:09:05 AM

I just put it in a big flat pan and sit it out side. They clean it up nicely.

JP · January 29, 2008, 12:20:06 PM

Quote from: Jerrymac on January 29, 2008, 11:09:05 AM
I just put it in a big flat pan and sit it out side. They clean it up nicely.

Same here

........JP

annette · January 29, 2008, 01:25:21 PM

I have been washing all that muck until I am left with only the wax (more or less). Let it dry and place into a large tupperware container. Once the weather turns warm again I am going to make a solar wax melter like Linda T from Atlanta and get just the good clean wax to store for use. Although I like the thought about placing back for the bees to clean up. Much better sounding than just washing all that good water down the drain.

Annette

JP · January 29, 2008, 01:29:28 PM

Annette, do you have any plans on how to make the solar melter? I'd like to see that. Thanks. ;)

......JP

annette · January 29, 2008, 01:33:30 PM

http://beekeeperlinda.blogspot.com/2007/06/video-on-how-to-use-simple-solar-wax.html

See above for Linda's blog site and I believe it cost her about $8.00 to make this. Looks so easy even I could manage this.

Sincerely
Annette

JP · January 29, 2008, 01:57:30 PM

Thanks Annette, I'll check it out.

Sincerely, JP

sean · January 29, 2008, 03:46:36 PM

Quote from: annette on January 29, 2008, 01:33:30 PM
http://beekeeperlinda.blogspot.com/2007/06/video-on-how-to-use-simple-solar-wax.html

See above for Linda's blog site and I believe it cost her about $8.00 to make this. Looks so easy even I could manage this.

Sincerely
Annette

If you have an old igloo(the rectangular ones) you could just use that. screw off the cover and just place the pane of glass on top

KONASDAD · January 29, 2008, 04:18:50 PM

I save'm until I have a fair amount and feed it to bees in the open in early spring so as to prevent robbing. I place on cookie tray in a blob and they clean it real nice, then the double boiler method mentioned above to clean it for melting.

Michael Bush · January 29, 2008, 08:04:15 PM

Whether you do crush and strain or you extract, you still have the cappings or the left over wax to deal with. I melt them in either a double boiler or the oven until it JUST melts and then let it harden. I take the dark honey off the bottom and use it for baking. Then I wash it well and boil it again with water in it and strain it into 1/2 gallon milk cartons to make blocks.

Kimbrell · January 30, 2008, 01:54:03 AM

I made a solar wax melter last year from Linda's blog. It is very easy and works great! It is amazing to put cappings out in the morning and come back to a beautiful block of wax in the evening!

Brian D. Bray · January 30, 2008, 07:20:07 AM

Using a solar wax melter to seperate the mess works well too. The junk stays above the filter and the wax floats on the honey.

Cindi · January 30, 2008, 10:40:33 AM

Our forum, the most wonderful place to get great ideas and answers to our questions. What more could a person ask for? I must say that I feel so grateful to have found this place to present questions, everyone giving their cool experiences of what they do, and then our job as the readers, to figure out what one works the best for us.

Michaels website and Linda's blog are wonderful learning tools too, we are fortunate people in this world that we live. Have a wonderful and greatest of days, Cindi

annette · January 30, 2008, 01:25:36 PM

"If you have an old igloo(the rectangular ones) you could just use that. screw off the cover and just place the pane of glass on top"

Thank you sean for that bit of information.

Annette

sean · January 30, 2008, 02:24:41 PM

sure no prob. also, i have found that resting the wax directly on the tissue/paper towel is a bit of a hindrance. Try putting a piece (well i used a side of a bird cage) of mesh above the paper towel seems to work better. It stops a lot of the gunk etc. from clogging up the towel

Kimbrell · January 31, 2008, 08:18:56 PM

Good idea! I hadn't thought of that...

Quote from: sean on January 30, 2008, 02:24:41 PM
sure no prob. also, i have found that resting the wax directly on the tissue/paper towel is a bit of a hindrance. Try putting a piece (well i used a side of a bird cage) of mesh above the paper towel seems to work better. It stops a lot of the gunk etc. from clogging up the towel