Sugar honey

Latest Articles

Sugar honey

Author

Message

BahamaMama

Joined: 21 Sep 2006
Posts: 2315
Location: Away with the fairies

Posted: Tue Jun 30, 15 2:15 pm Post subject: Sugar honey
As the title says.... I extracted two frames of honey at the weekend, fortunately I kept them separate as they looked very different. One of them looks like the bees were storing syrup as it is grainy and very sugary. The other frame looks like proper honey. So - can I keep the 'sugar honey' and give it back to the same hive later in the year or just ditch it?

Tavascarow

Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall

Posted: Tue Jun 30, 15 2:28 pm Post subject:
Yes. If it has crystallised it might be better stored for the winter & given in the spring, when they have access to water to dissolve it or given to a smaller weaker colony now that needs feeding up.

BahamaMama

Joined: 21 Sep 2006
Posts: 2315
Location: Away with the fairies

Posted: Tue Jun 30, 15 2:29 pm Post subject:
Ah - I have a smaller colony that could do with a bit of a boost, that is a great idea. Thanks Tav

Tavascarow

Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall

Posted: Tue Jun 30, 15 2:31 pm Post subject:
Should have said if you put it next to the brood & roughly uncap it they will consume it now as the queen expands the brood nest. But in a strong colony with plenty coming in from outside, you risk them just moving it elsewhere & potentially diluting the good stuff.

BahamaMama

Joined: 21 Sep 2006
Posts: 2315
Location: Away with the fairies

Posted: Tue Jun 30, 15 2:33 pm Post subject:
Will definitely give to smaller colony, the principal one is going well and taking care of themselves.

Mutton

Joined: 09 May 2009
Posts: 1508

Posted: Thu Jul 02, 15 1:18 pm Post subject:
It may be from oil seed rape as that crystallises fairly soon. If you are in an area with a lot of that, you want to do an extraction shortly after it finishes flowering.

BahamaMama

Joined: 21 Sep 2006
Posts: 2315
Location: Away with the fairies

Posted: Thu Jul 02, 15 1:33 pm Post subject:
I am pretty sure it is not OSR - there is not much of that around here.

	Downsizer Forum Index -> The Apiary	All times are GMT
Page 1 of 1

View Latest Posts