Honey from the Blue Hive 8-26-15

The Blue hive stores honey faster then the Pink hive so we decided to pull 7 frames.
I had checked through the windows in the back and all frames were full.  Pink have still had some room.

We took 4 from to top super then Jim lifted that one off and I took 3 more from the second one. This way they have access to the top super. I read that sometimes they wont go past a “honey ceiling”.
Last year we put 3 supers on before we went north and when we got back they had filled the first one but the others were empty…then they started backfilling the brood nest and swarmed.  Lesson learned.

My frames do not have foundation in them so it is all wax the bees made. Because of this I crush and strain the honey…then use the wax for candles.


This big stainless bowl is where I crush the comb…then put it in jars with a cloth strainer over it….I then sit that jar on an empty one. I cut funnels from gallon milk jugs…they work great…no more drizzling down the sides of the jars.
Once done all the tools and empty jars go outside for the bees to clean up.
This is just one jar…had 7 plus the empty frames. They work hard to make honey and I don’t want to waste a drop if I can help it.
This bowl was full of chunks…when they got done it was flakes.

When we do this the air is full of bees…flying all over the yard. Walking through you might get bumped once or twice. After  it is clean they disappear.
I had this near the back door and believe it or not…I was able to pick it up and move it closer to the bird bath and not a single bee bothered me.

Hurricane Erika was on her way so we only did the Blue hive….we got some rain but no big storm….now we need to do the Pink hive.