when to extract?

**gonzo** · 05-29-2012, 01:12 PM

So, i belong to a group that is having a bit of a debate on when to extract honey and i was hoping to get some insight from all you experts!.... What percentage of honey cells should be capped before pulling a frame for extraction? The arguments i've heard range from 80-100%. i pulled my first 8 frames last week and they were all 100% capped....

**gonzo** · 05-29-2012, 01:14 PM

i can't believe i misspelled "When"....

**JD's Bees** · 05-29-2012, 01:51 PM

Hey Gonzo I'm a big fan of The Muppet Show so if you think it would be easier to train a chicken to extract compared to a teenager then I'm willing to try! Oh and I extract when frames are at least 1/3 to 1/2 capped.

**gonzo** · 05-29-2012, 02:03 PM

camilla is way more fun and obedient than any teenager!

**juzzerbee** · 05-29-2012, 02:13 PM

Borka, borka, bork, cinnamonamon, little bit of honey. Yummy, yummy, yum!!!
Your friend, Swedish Chef

**abejorro** · 05-29-2012, 03:17 PM

Y'all been hitting the mead a little hard???

I don't think 1/3 to 1/2 is enough. I look for 80%-90% minimum and have usually removed surplus when nearly 100%. YMMV.

**JD's Bees** · 05-29-2012, 04:45 PM

I suppose local climate may play a part in the decision. When I extract I'm looking for about 16% moisture. My fully capped frames come in at nearer to 14-15%. A second consideration is if you wait until the frames are fully capped there is a loss of production.