Snoozypaws3000
New Bee
- Joined
- Sep 28, 2012
- Messages
- 5
- Reaction score
- 0
- Location
- Colchester Essex
- Hive Type
- None
- Number of Hives
- 4
Hi All,
After reading up about and longing for bees for about 8 years I actually took the plunge and this year I bought 4 very old and tatty WBC hives and renovated them all.
I obtained 2 nuc's and 2 full colonies from a nearby beekeeper and they were all homed in the new hives between the end of June beginning of July time. [I know probably not ideal timewise]
I optimistically placed a single honey super on each of the full colonies although wasn't expecting too much
To my surprise my fuzzy friends have managed to fill quite a few of the super frames.
Earlier this week I removed a single frame of honey just to test it [maybe that should read to taste it!]
It was fully capped on both sides.
I extracted the honey by uncapping and draining each side [no extractor yet!] and then filtered it through some very fine mesh.
I got about 1.5lbs.
The honey is very, very pale in colour and quite runny [it tastes delicious but has a very mild honey flavour].
I've never seen such a pale coloured honey before, in fact it is so pale that it doesn't look like honey at all
The colony in the hive it came from seems to be fit, strong and thriving, plenty of activity, brood etc.
I am assuming that the paleness comes from whatever they've been foraging on [any ideas?] but I was just wondering as this is my first honey if this is a normal thing.
Was expecting it to be more of an amber colour and slightly more viscous.
Be grateful if you more experienced people could advise if this is normal....or if I should be worrying?
The frames in the brood box are well stuffed with honey too although this was probably from earlier in the year before they were homed with me.
Would be most appreciative for input
Thanks again
Sky
After reading up about and longing for bees for about 8 years I actually took the plunge and this year I bought 4 very old and tatty WBC hives and renovated them all.
I obtained 2 nuc's and 2 full colonies from a nearby beekeeper and they were all homed in the new hives between the end of June beginning of July time. [I know probably not ideal timewise]
I optimistically placed a single honey super on each of the full colonies although wasn't expecting too much
To my surprise my fuzzy friends have managed to fill quite a few of the super frames.
Earlier this week I removed a single frame of honey just to test it [maybe that should read to taste it!]
It was fully capped on both sides.
I extracted the honey by uncapping and draining each side [no extractor yet!] and then filtered it through some very fine mesh.
I got about 1.5lbs.
The honey is very, very pale in colour and quite runny [it tastes delicious but has a very mild honey flavour].
I've never seen such a pale coloured honey before, in fact it is so pale that it doesn't look like honey at all
The colony in the hive it came from seems to be fit, strong and thriving, plenty of activity, brood etc.
I am assuming that the paleness comes from whatever they've been foraging on [any ideas?] but I was just wondering as this is my first honey if this is a normal thing.
Was expecting it to be more of an amber colour and slightly more viscous.
Be grateful if you more experienced people could advise if this is normal....or if I should be worrying?
The frames in the brood box are well stuffed with honey too although this was probably from earlier in the year before they were homed with me.
Would be most appreciative for input
Thanks again
Sky
