Honey from hive that didn't survive winter

[Irish]

I have just two hives and one that was well stocked in honey does not appear to have survived the winter. I am purchasing enough bees for two additional hives this spring but I believe there is more than sufficient honey.

It is possible to harvest the honey for use? Probably at least 10 frames worth.

Thanks for insight.

[Brent Bean]

Check to see if your other hive might need help before you harvest the honey. I don’t use honey from brood comb, I use it for package bees or swarms that I catch. This gets them going much quicker.
But if you need honey for your toast go ahead I hate it when I have to buy honey from the store for my own use.

[scdw43]

Feed it to the new bees.

[festus]

if you fed them in the fall some of that honey might be syrup, probably best to feed it back

[karu]

possible to harvest the honey for use?

I was wondering the same thing - I have way more honey left then I will need to feed back to the bees - is winter honey extractable ?
I realize I can just try to do it, but , why not to ask first ?

[NasalSponge]

I just extracted some from a dead hive on Sunday, and since I didn't feed my bees last fall it is the real deal...good stuff!!

[jal_ut]

Yes you can use that honey for yourself. Is it crystallized in the combs? If so that makes it tough to extract. Otherwise, go for it.

I like to install packages on two or three frames of honey if I have it available. It sure helps them get going and you don't have to feed them.

[Pete0]

I have one dead out that had near a full medium super and I have a few other colonies that have heavy supers on them after checking this past weekend, near 80 degrees here! Once I'm sure that they have nectar coming in I cull through the supers and pull all of the fall honey and extract it. Some colonies can put up quite a bit of surplus on the fall flow but I never look to take it until the next year. Needless to say I don't medicate.

Good luck,

Pete0
Bena, VA