Its my second year of beekeeping and my hives are doing OK, but they probably won't make more than 1 or two supers of honey. However, I want to take a single frame now for personal use. My frames are wired. I would rather not destroy them. Is there a meas of extracting it without equipment? If so, how? Will it drain if I uncap it in a tub? I dont even need to get every drop, just enough for a half pint or so. Ill put it back in for the bees when done.
I left two supers for them over the winter last year, but this year, Im taking a frame or two for me.
un-cap the frame with a warmed up bread knife. let the frame sit upside down in a plastic tub for a week or so. the clear deep storage tubs with a cover are the best bet, they keep unwanted bugs and dust out and control the mess. strain the capings and honey thru a kitchen strainer, line the strainer with cheese cloth if you wish, over night is about right too drain the cappings . the frame must be upside down to drain, comb cells are at a slight angle up. the warmer things are the better. if the honey is not mostly capped it may want to ferment, use it up, never refrigerate. my daughter came for a nice but not planned visit, she took home a nice deep frame back to lancaster pa. she extracted this way and got a good 2 quarts [5 lb.] of nice clean fresh honey. the frame can now go back to the bees.... this is what my daughter should do, bring it back for a trade-in, bring the one year old grandson along.
you have it right brazzo... pick a nice sunny day when the bees are working. use a little smoke. be slow and deliberate. put another frame back in the hole. a week is more time than you want a frame out.
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