End of season honey extraction.

[thomaso123t]

Hi All

I was wandering how different beekeepers decide when to take their supers off and to finish the honey season? Last year I did this during the last week of August but I know some beekeepers kept their supers on until mid September.

What make you to decide when is the best moment?

Thanks
Tom

 

[Jimmy]

You need to factor in:
- when does your honey flow end.
- varroa treatment, done in time to allow the over winter bees to develop in the lowest varroa (virus) load possible
- autumn feeding
- time/facilities to extract.

I've gone for oxalic sublimation this year to increase flexibility alongside it having a very high efficacy. Previously i've used apiguard which has been effective but a faff with ekes.
In SE Worcestershire I think the honey flow has stopped, will see if the recent rain revives the clover. I'm planning to extract when i'm relieved of childcare duties in ten days time.

 

[enrico]

In a BIG flow I will take supers off as they fill them and replace on the hives for them to refill, in a medium flow I will wait until I have three or four, usually August time, in a poor year I leave it for the bees.
E

 

[Eyeman]

I try to avoid more than 3 supers / hive just to save my back
I used to save all the supers for an uncapping weekend party where the kitchen was emptied and a ground sheet put on the floor.
I can now extract as I go along without any mess in a small clean area in the garage. I will uncap and extract & strain approx 6 supers in one go which takes 1hr and 15 mins. Hot air gun for uncapping is a god send for keeping the area clean.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Anything over three supers high gets extracted with the hand spinner. Everything else comes off usually mid August. By that time I know if bees are going to make anything of the balsam and everything else has stopped

 

[Beefriendly]

What make you to decide when is the best moment?

Thanks
Tom

No real definitive answer. It depends on where you are and when any nectar flows in your area end. Let the bees tell you, if they aren't adding to their stash and you aren't aware that are any more flows to come in your area then you might think it's time to call it a day. Unless you want ivy honey....

 

[Stiffy]

No real definitive answer. It depends on where you are and when any nectar flows in your area end. Let the bees tell you, if they aren't adding to their stash and you aren't aware that are any more flows to come in your area then you might think it's time to call it a day. Unless you want ivy honey....

I have an out apiary that 'probably' wont get any more honey but other sites they are filling supers on a weekly basis. I will be spending a weekend with SWMBO extracting as soon as heather has stopped

As an aside. I noticed one of my hives on double brood, the queen has moved from both boxes into just the bottom box and they are filling the top box as well as supers with stores. There were also noticeably fewer drones, I guess the hive is getting ready for winter.
S

 

[Swarm]

Backfilling the top box is a sure sign.

 

[psafloyd]

Hi All

I was wandering how different beekeepers decide when to take their supers off and to finish the honey season? Last year I did this during the last week of August but I know some beekeepers kept their supers on until mid September.

What make you to decide when is the best moment?

Thanks
Tom

I'm late this year for my first harvest, but will be taking some in th enext week.

Then I wait for the brood boxes to get full and take the excess, as I don't like feeding sugar to them.*

*That's my preference, not an invitation to a punch up for any who disagree with it.

 

[Teebeeaitch]

For me it's a case of looking in just once a year and always late August. If there is spare, I take it. If not, it's all theirs. I never feed sugar at any stage. I agree that from September onwards, it's all ivy and they love it. Without ivy they would struggle.

 

[madasafish]

I find any more than 4 supers high is too much. So I extract when one or more is filled - three at a time..Huge variations between hives (98lbs from one to date, 3 averaging 15lbs, 3 with nothing).

If I had to extract it all at once, my back would give up..(But then I am an OAF)