follow 
watch 
subscribe 
Home › Forums › HoneyLove Forum › Kirk's Honey Harvest Secret.
- This topic has 3 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 12 years, 3 months ago by susan rudnicki.
-
AuthorPosts
-
February 16, 2014 at 4:51 pm #7833ceebs baileyModerator
At #BeeChurch HoneyLove Mentoring this morning, I asked Kirk to use one of my hives as an example for the group of how to prep a box for harvesting. I brought an empty box with frames to replace the one I would eventually be taking, an escape board, a camera for sharing and a plan to drive up to Moorpark tomorrow to retrieve the box. I smoked the hive fairly well about 15 minutes before we planned to dive in.
Now, a mere few hours later, I have crush and strain going on in my kitchen. There were NO bees in the hive box I brought home and only two who clung to the back window of my car. Kirk saved me hours of messy clean up pulling out bees and bee parts before cutting out comb.
Kirko—would you like to share what your secret is?February 17, 2014 at 3:42 pm #7844Roxana VillaParticipantYes please, I’d like to know! Usually our honey harvest, even of just one frame is a mess on multiple levels.
February 18, 2014 at 11:01 am #7847Kirk AndersonParticipantSpace it is all about Space.This is also how you handle mean bees.I have used escape boards before and they work good,but I like this way better.If the hive is three boxes I do the following.This is best done with another beekeeper.When you smoke bees they have a tendency to flee the smoke.It also causes them to eat honey or nectar.But if the hive is crowded or full it makes it harder to work them.If they are crowded and you smoke them they just come out and there you are.So If you have three boxes smoke your bees once or twice
Then crack the top box and lift it off.Then place a empty box with frames.Then put the top box back on top of that. Ok you are set.If the bees are mad and flying around go home and come back a day or two later.If the bees are ok crack the lid and smoke them.Wait ten minutes smoke them again.The bees will retreat to the open box.Remove the frames and take the honey.Simple
kirkobeeoFebruary 19, 2014 at 12:24 pm #7850susan rudnickiParticipantHey, I LOVED that explanation of the empty box for crowded/mean bees—it made more sense out of the note you sent me the other day about Natasha’s bees. Why didn’t I think of it??!!!!! They are growing fast, and sometimes when I take off the lid, they are sitting there, thick on both sides of the inner cover and on the top bars, looking up with that funny, lined up like soldiers, look! So, prior to putting on the escape board, that would also help a day before, huh? Susan
-
AuthorPosts
- The forum ‘HoneyLove Forum’ is closed to new topics and replies.
Become a member of HoneyLove and learn to be an urban beekeeper!
Plant an organic garden without the pesticides that harm honeybees!
Provide a water source on your property – bees love clean water to drink!