[brazosdog02]

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.

 

[KbeeG]

Use a large spoon and scrape comb and honey off down to your foundation. Stain through cheese cloth. One medium frame should give you about 2 pints.

 

[mathesonequip]

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.

 

[brazosdog02]

Good info. What is the best way to get the bees off that one frame? Just shake them off and use a brush for any stragglers?

 

[WWW]

Here is a novel idea, the good part starts about 1 minuet into the video.

http://youtu.be/U0tbPhWWrFo

 

[mathesonequip]

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.

 

[brazosdog02]

No offense intended, but I laughed hysterically at the video. Im sure this will work, but Im also sure of the outcome when I do it.

 

[WWW]

Brazo, to get the bees off the frame just give it several good shakes over the hive then brush off the few that are left.

 

[WWW]

Thought you might get a kick out of the video.. :lpf: