Frames of Crystallized Honey in Brood Boxes

1369 Views 10 Replies 6 Participants Last post by Michael Palmer, Mar 6, 2020

Grins

Discussion Starter · Mar 5, 2020

I'm just wondering what other folks do with brood box frames full of crystallized honey. Every spring I try to move them from the outside to the center replacing them with drawn comb. I usually grab one or two honey frames from brood boxes during harvest in the fall after weighing to be certain they have enough of their own honey. I've found outside frames remain mostly untouched during the winter as the cluster remains centered and just moves upwards. Do you rotate your stock?

Lee

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crofter

· #2 · Mar 5, 2020

I have the same problem. It is basically unproductive hive space. Left to their own devices the bees dont touch it much after fresh nectar starts coming in. I think it helps to uncap large areas at the ends and upper corners of frames and then the bees seem to clean it out. Once you put supers on it may get taken up above and then, if you have fed, you are contaminating your honey.

I want to try single deep broods and raise some splits and nucs this summer so that could get some of those frames used up. I think single deep brood box done right eliminates some of that honey locked frame area. So far it is merely good intentions.

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Grins

Discussion Starter · #3 · Mar 5, 2020

crofter said:
I have the same problem. It is basically unproductive hive space. Left to their own devices the bees dont touch it much after fresh nectar starts coming in. I think it helps to uncap large areas at the ends and upper corners of frames and then the bees seem to clean it out. Once you put supers on it may get taken up above and then, if you have fed, you are contaminating your honey.

I want to try single deep broods and raise some splits and nucs this summer so that could get some of those frames used up. I think single deep brood box done right eliminates some of that honey locked frame area. So far it is merely good intentions.

Yeah, I doubt your bees in Northern Ontario will venture into those outside frames any more than mine will. It feels like our 10 frame boxes are 8 frame boxes with insulation. I had a queen last fall I nearly pinched, her bloodline is too swarmy and keeps too many bugs in the box during the winter. At the last moment I decided to try an experiment, to overwinter her in a single 8 frame deep. She is doing well, we had a very mild winter here, and I'll bet dollars to doughnuts the outside frames of honey weren't touched, just too chilly out there. i insulate with 3/4" closed cell on three sides so it isn't horribly cold out there on the outside frames but they won't touch it in the winter here.
Lee

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Grins

Discussion Starter · #4 · Mar 5, 2020

On another note, our honey last season was very white and very mild. The honey from the frames we took from the brood boxes was much better to our palates, more amber and deeper flavors. We called it 'private reserve' and sold the white honey that came from the supers. I hope our customers appreciate the white honey, it is sought out by some, just not us.
Lee

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grozzie2

· #5 · Mar 5, 2020

Grins said:
and I'll bet dollars to doughnuts the outside frames of honey weren't touched

In the good old days that was a high odds bet. Today it’s a sucker bet cuz doughnuts cost more than a buck in most places.

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Grins

Discussion Starter · #6 · Mar 5, 2020

grozzie2 said:
In the good old days that was a high odds bet. Today it’s a sucker bet cuz doughnuts cost more than a buck in most places.

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odfrank

· #7 · Mar 5, 2020

Try scratching them and placing under the brood chamber.

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crofter

· #8 · Mar 5, 2020

odfrank said:
Try scratching them and placing under the brood chamber.

That sure sounds worth a try.:thumbsup:

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rwlaw

· #9 · Mar 5, 2020

Ya, scratching the caps off and placing it near the brood nest works. If one can get the queen to start laying in that frame the workers will start cleaning it up PDQ.

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Grins

Discussion Starter · #10 · Mar 5, 2020

Thanks guys!
Lee

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Michael Palmer

· #11 · Mar 6, 2020

We deal with the leftover crystallized honey by reversing. The leftovers are in the top brood box. When the brood East is reversed, that honey winds up on the bottom. Bees don’t like honey on the bottom so they remove it and use it where needed. No need to handle or scratch frames of honey

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