Cappings

[Etton]

How do other beekeepers feed messy/wet cappings back to the bees?
Thanks

 

[Beefriendly]

I don't.
Initially wet capping's are drained over a mesh for the good honey to run off, mixed about a few times over a day or two. What's left of the cappings is melted at 80C and the honey recovered from that is sold as bakers honey. Waste not want not. A capping's screw would be even better (on wish list).
It's easier to feed the bees 2:1 sugar/water than let them deal with the capping's.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I tried it a couple of times and the bees built comb amongst them
Now I put them over a sieve in the honey warmer and keep the honey for myself. Then I melt the cappings to make candles

 

[The Poot in Somerset]

Fed some to one colony in a rapid feeder without the central cone. Mostly cleaned up but very difficult to get the bees out of the feeder! As soon as I got the bees out wasps got in. Took me a while to realise they could both get in from the bee space at the base and it became a never ending process...

 

[Beefriendly]

I think you are just becoming aware that many beeks write a load of carp about lots of things that they have mainly read about but not actually done...or if they have, have neglected to tell us about the practical issues involved....
As the previous two posts written by people who have done as suggested in the books show...it don't work the way the books suggest...best perhaps to take their practical advice?

 

[protheroe]

All goes through a press so very little honey left just tacky wax

 

[Millet]

I think you are just becoming aware that many beeks write a load of carp about lots of things that they have mainly read about but not actually done...or if they have, have neglected to tell us about the practical issues involved....
As the previous two posts written by people who have done as suggested in the books show...it don't work the way the books suggest...best perhaps to take their practical advice?

100% Agree..

 

[enrico]

Don't have any cos I use a heat gun

 

[alfazer]

I used to do it in a miller feeder with the inner lid removed, but it's a hassle. You need a shallow layer of cappings over a big area, otherwise the bees can't recover all the honey if it's just a big pile of wax. Then you need to stir it around every few days so they continue to access all the wax. Which could mean veil, smoker, disturbed bees, etc.
If you leave for a week, they will build comb.
This year I'm going to rinse in water and try making mead. Then the remains will go in my solar melter.

 

[Etton]

I used to do it in a miller feeder with the inner lid removed, but it's a hassle. You need a shallow layer of cappings over a big area, otherwise the bees can't recover all the honey if it's just a big pile of wax. Then you need to stir it around every few days so they continue to access all the wax. Which could mean veil, smoker, disturbed bees, etc.
If you leave for a week, they will build comb.
This year I'm going to rinse in water and try making mead. Then the remains will go in my solar melter.

Thanks for all your views, really helpful practical feedback. I bought an old metal (galvanised) filter tray for recapping comb at this years Bee auction. Think I read some where can’t sell honey that’s been in such a tray. Anyone know if that’s true or if the metal affects the taste ?

 

[Etton]

Decapping not recapping (predictive text!)

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

How do other beekeepers feed messy/wet cappings back to the bees?
Thanks

I don't - drain as much of the honey out it as I can, wash, then r ender down and filter for candle making etc.

I bought an old metal (galvanised) filter tray for recapping comb at this years Bee auction. Think I read some where can’t sell honey that’s been in such a tray. Anyone know if that’s true or if the metal affects the taste ?

It's not food safe - can be toxic so can't be used for honey - convert it into a solar wax melter for your capping

 

[ShinySideUp]

I tried to give the capping back to the bees this year and it was a complete fiasco. I had intended to spread them around my three hives but only got as far as the first one in the end. I took the roof off and tried dropping the cappings onto the crown board (one with a hole in it obviously); the bees came out to meet me halfway. I had the cappings in a bowl, they were in the bowl, I put cappings on the crown board, they were on the crown board, I had cappings on my hands, they were on my hands. Wherever I moved the bees were on it. In the end I left them with a handful of cappings then put the roof back on, I shook my hands to get the bees off, I banged the bowl so the bees fell out then I moved quickly to a safe distance with only a few bees in tow.

All ok now...it then all turned to *****.

My workshop is about 50 metres away from the apiary and I went back there to get out of my bee suit. Took my wellies off, took the suit off and put it in the workshop leaving my boots outside then went home.

That evening, in about an hours time, we were due to have some friends round for a bbq. My bbq and all that goes with it are outside the workshop where there is a table and chairs etc. Half an hour to go and I go up to my garden (which is a hundred metres from my house -- don't ask) and get to the workshop to set up for the bbq: Bees everywhere!!!

I hadn't noticed that when I was putting the cappings in the hive I had dropped some and stood in it so my boots were covered in honey, only now they were also covered in bees and in the doorway to the workshop -- where my bee suit is! This is going from bad to worse.

I rushed in, picked up the boots and ran halfway across the garden and dumped them in a waterbutt complete with very disturbed bees. Is this the end of it? Certainly not. Every step I had taken from the apiary to the workshop had left a small amount of honey and cappings and now it was honey, cappings and bees; my whole garden looked like something out of a horror film and I have less than half an hour to clear it before my guests arrive.

To cut the story off now...I managed to find my bee suit, several watering cans, a can of wasp spray (sorry bees), my electric wasp bat (again, sorry bees) and had at it, washing everything off, beating the little fellows away, and generally panicking over my imminent bbq and wondering what the people coming -- who were work colleagues of my wifes that I had never met -- would think of this mad man running all over the garden armed with an aerosol spray and a high-tech tennis racquet and wearing a fancy dress outfit!

I managed. I relocated the bbq to a part of the garden I hadn't been it with my honeyed feet, apologised profusely to my honoured guests that most of the garden was unavailable for viewing to all but the most foolhardy...

...and resolved never again to try to give cappings back to the bees.

Now I put the cappings in a muslin bag and leave it (COVERED) in the greenhouse to drain for a couple of days.

 

[Etton]

Something similar yesterday. Extracting honey and due to quite a few bees being brought in with the frames and they were all flying around the window I opened it a few inches to simply let them escape, I then went out for an hour. Yes, a stupid thing to do, basically an invite for all the outside bees to join their party! Took ages to clear, but didn't need to kill any. I'm like the shepherd, I look after one bee whilst risking other disasters!

 

[Cuckmere couple]

i spread them on a tray and put them above crown board with small opening as i do my supers and next day it was just a dry sawdusty pile of cappings which i added to my wax bucket....seemed to work ok

 

[Newbeeneil]

If you put them in a rapid feeder with the central section removed all you need to do is put the sealed feeder over the crown board hole. Job done!
Open the feeder once a day and give the cappings a quick stir and within a week the cappings are like dry sawdust. The stirring prevents the build up of comb as well.

 

[alfazer]

Thanks for all your views, really helpful practical feedback. I bought an old metal (galvanised) filter tray for recapping comb at this years Bee auction. Think I read some where can’t sell honey that’s been in such a tray. Anyone know if that’s true or if the metal affects the taste ?

If the tray is just for cappings for bees to clean I wouldn't be too bothered, but I wouldn't use it for honey. Honey is acidic and you can't use galvanised containers for acidic foods. Stick to stainless or polypropylene.

 

[Etton]

If you put them in a rapid feeder with the central section removed all you need to do is put the sealed feeder over the crown board hole. Job done!
Open the feeder once a day and give the cappings a quick stir and within a week the cappings are like dry sawdust. The stirring prevents the build up of comb as well.

I might try a contact feeder as it may work too by being inverted above the feeder.

 

[Etton]

If you put them in a rapid feeder with the central section removed all you need to do is put the sealed feeder over the crown board hole. Job done!
Open the feeder once a day and give the cappings a quick stir and within a week the cappings are like dry sawdust. The stirring prevents the build up of comb as well.

Tried this yesterday. It worked but encouraged serious robbing. Big lesson be very careful whilst feeding back cappings/ honey it can cause serious robbing. I’ve now moved the nuke 2 miles home, hope they stay, will close for the day.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Tried this yesterday. It worked but encouraged serious robbing. Big lesson be very careful whilst feeding back cappings/ honey it can cause serious robbing. I’ve now moved the nuke 2 miles home, hope they stay, will close for the day.

I've not had any problems with robbing as long as you feed all the hives and do it in the evening.