getting a jump on "honey extraction 101"

[hummingberd]

Because this is the "slow" season for beekeeping I am doing my research on how I should go about extracting honey. Could those of you who have gone through this process please enlighten me as to your processes? I am very interested in how people get their bees off of the frames, and the methods used to extract.

I read about a product called Fisher's Bee Quick. Is this safe? And would it be considered part of the Bilogical Beekeepers way of motivating the bees back down into the hive bodies?

Thanks for your input!

-K- :D

[Dave W]

I "extract" from ONE hive using the "scrape and drain method". Bees are removed by setting off the honey supers in very late evening (dusk) onto a lawn cart and allowing the bees to return to brood chambers. After dark, honey supers (and very few bees) are then moved into the "honey house".

[kenpkr]

"I read about a product called Fisher's Bee Quick. Is this safe? And would it be considered part of the Bilogical Beekeepers way of motivating the bees back down into the hive bodies? "

Yes, and I can attest that it does work nicely. It may take only a few minutes longer to "clear" each super of bees than that smelly butyric acid but it works fine, especially in warmer temps. There's a good thread about Bee Quick that was discussed a couple months ago. Just search for it. You might live near a beekeeper who has the necessary equipment for harvesting. Attend your nearest Bee Assoc. meeting.

[Fuzzy]

I don't bother chasing the bees out. I just set the super on a board with a "vortex" triangle escape on top. Go back the next day to collect empty supers.

Just make sure to check after 24hrs. I once found
that the queen had moved up and the bees would not leave because of her and the brood. Had to put it back on the hive.

Fuzzy

[drobbins]

if you only have a couple of supers it's no problem
I just shake the bees off the frames one by one by the entrance then use a brush to get the stragglers
it's folks with lots of hives who need stronger methods

Dave

[Jim Fischer]

> I read about a product called Fisher's Bee Quick.

Hi, I'm Fischer. I make the stuff.

> Is this safe?

Of course it is - its even used by Certified
Organic operations. See this document (http://bee-quick.com/organic_approval_bee-quick.pdf).

> And would it be considered part of the biological
> Beekeepers way of motivating the bees back down
> into the hive bodies?

Many different people use the term "biological
beekeeper" to describe themselves, so each one
is only speaking for him or herself. There is
no group consensus on what is and what is not
"acceptable" to a "biological beekeeper",
although there are a few people who have gotten
the idea that they speak for many others when
they merely have shouted many others down, and
prompted a greater number of others to wander
off in search of more pleasant company. This
is a darned shame, as much of what they advocate
are good practices.

While "Certified Organic" is a tangible thing,
a designation awarded by skilled professionals,
a specific statement about management practices,
and compliance with standards of excellence,
"biological beekeeping" is nothing more than
a phrase that anyone can use, and hence has
little, if any, value.

[ December 04, 2006, 06:13 PM: Message edited by: Jim Fischer ]

[Fuzzy]

Mr. Fischer,

Just curious, do you read every post. Or do you do a daily search for "bee quick".

I do agree, It's good stuff. I just used some a week ago for a late season super removal. Got rid of most bees in just a few seconds.

Fuzzy

[Konrad]

Hm...what is the ingredient of bee quick?

[Jim Fischer]

> Just curious, do you read every post.

Not every, but many.
All but the tailgater section.

And yeah, I do have a web spider running
on an aging Sun sparc server, which looks
for mentions of Bee-Quick, but it only
runs once a week or so, as life is too
short, etc, etc.

[hummingberd]

"Hi, I'm Fischer. I make the stuff."

Wow! This place if full of celebreties! HeHe. Thanks for your input Mr. Fischer, and to everyone. No offense, but it is nice to get input from slightly less biased parties! LOL. This stuff sounds great. Still hoping some of the "big names" (I mean this in a VERY positive manner) post on this subject coughmichaelbushcough.

[NW IN Beekeeper]

[what is the ingredient of bee quick?]

Expect the receipe to die with Mr. Fischer - much like the 11 herbs and spices of KFC and Col. Sanders (though Jim will tell you that its actually 14 ingredients in his bee-quick).

[Makes you think, maybe he's got the formula squirreled away in the walls or floors like the KFC receipe ...humm... makes you wonder!]

-I just gotta poke a little fun at Jim, he's really a great contributor and stirs it up which usually results in a few more opinions (like beekeepers ain't got enough opinions already).

-Jeff

[hummingberd]

Fisher's Bee Quick

(Psst, I'm just trying to lure Mr. Fisher in so he can read my funny post.)

anyway, Jim I plan to try this product! I'm sure I'll have great luck smile.gif

[Jim Fischer]

> maybe he's got the formula squirreled away in
> the walls or floors

To quote an obscure person:
"That would be telling (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061287/amazon)."

[mainelybees]

Hey Hummingberd, where is Arundle? I live in Bowdoinham which is about 25 miles north of Freeport. Probably too far for you to drive but next fall you are welcome to make plans to drop in during extracting time and watch the process. I have a complete set-up minus the auto-uncapper, still thinking pretty hard about that one. I extract for 12-15 beekeepers average, in the area that don't want to go through the time and trouble of doing it themselves. We did about 1900 pounds of honey from 11 keepers this year.

As far as moving the bees, I use some kind of stinky stuff on a fume board, Bee-Gone I think they used to call it, works very well when the weather is right but if there is any brood in the supers, nothing short of fire will make the nurse bees leave. If there is not too much brood I remove the frame and brush the bees off, if there is alot of brood I just remove the frames of honey and leave the other frames alone until later, no sense in killing the next generation right?

Drop me a note anytime. David

[George Fergusson]

Hi David- I'm in Whitefield, about 30 minutes east of you. Perhaps we'll meet up sometime in the future.

George-

[mainelybees]

Sounds great!! Drop me a line anytime!
David