jhn.holgate Posted December 24, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 24, 2016 It is indeed quite fascinating. I was looking up when nectar becomes honey - some people suggest that the process starts as soon as the bees have sucked up the nectar and ends when the 'honey' has got to the right moisture content/water content and then they cap it. I guess when it's capped, it's now the honey we all know and love and there may not be any particular 'moment' for when nectar becomes honey. An interesting read here: http://www.hiveandhoneyapiary.com/howbeesmakehoney.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chook Posted December 24, 2016 Report Share Posted December 24, 2016 Clever little critters. Thanks for that John. I'll drink the mead and dream in Kingston. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.Joel Posted December 24, 2016 Report Share Posted December 24, 2016 I see the flowhive on the top, what are the other boxes for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhn.holgate Posted December 24, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 24, 2016 The Queen generally lays her Brood in the bottom box and there's a piece of plastic mesh under the top box (Queen Excluder) that has holes that the workers can get through but is too small for the Queen - that way, all the Brood/eggs/larvae stay in the bottom box and only the workers can get into the top - and they only bring pollen or honey. There is certainly also pollen and honey in some of the frames in the bottom boxes, but we'll leave all that for the bees. Plus, if the bees feel that they're running out of room, they might swarm (the Queen takes half the hive and goes off to find a new home). So it's also good when the bees completely fill the top box, we start emptying it and give them more room as a bonus. (shhh, don't mention we're stealing their food). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhn.holgate Posted December 30, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2016 Flow hive 'super' with a frame out - you can see the Queen excluder in the bottom... A couple of frames almost full of honey and nearly fully capped - another week or two and we'll get our first jars.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted December 30, 2016 Report Share Posted December 30, 2016 (edited) Honey comes in different grades, which is usually measured by water content, this can be done by the backyard beekeeper with one of these. you put some honey on the blue window, close the Perspex lid and look through the end . This is what you see, but you have a coloured section at the top showing its value , this is my honey And this his is some we bought locally from a roadside stall clearly honey isn't all the same, in my opinion the roadside honey had been adulterated to increase their profit. Edited December 30, 2016 by Clive Pictures jhn.holgate and Chook 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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