Is this brood frame OK?

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To keith pierce

thats the point - not to extract your capped brood frames thinking its honey.
 
Besides, who is going to try to extract honey from a brood frame?

There is actually no difference between frames except in their application.

They are shallows, deeps and extra deeps in the National format. All can be used for either application.

OSB (Rose Hives ) only have, well, one sized boxes, so one size of frame.

Warre have no frames and no foundation, the bees just work downwards from the ceiling, the cells used for brooding are not moved or removed, just used for a different application as the comb is extended.

Langstroths have a choice of frame formats within the hive.

Of course you don't extract brood, you extract honey. I do, don't you?
 
I accept that a frame is a frame, wherever it is in the hive.

However would you extract honey from a frame in a brood box / below the queen excluder - whatever hive type you want to consider? As a know-nothing, I'd assume not! I'd assume that if there were any stores below the queen excluder, you'd leave it for the colony and you wouldn't attempt to extract it in case of contamination - even assuming you can guarantee there is nothing else on the frame.

I very clearly didn't say you did extract brood.... ;)
 
I have extracted many brood frames for Heather honey.

The colonies would come back from the moor broodless. Extract the brood boxes, give one frame of foundation and feed heavily, gallons this is not pints, and as if by magic four or five frames of brood appeared and the foundation drawn.

So yes it is practiced.

PH
 
I very clearly didn't say you did extract brood....

I wasn't suggesting you did, but there are a lot out there that think brood frames are something special, something different from other sizes. Don't know why (I do have a good ideas, though), but that is absolutely clear from some of the posts on the forum.

Indeed, the BB*A used to have a rediculous question in one of their modules which read something like: 'How much honey is there in a full brood frame?'

The real answer, of course, is none (apart from perhaps a little in the honey arch), but the accepted answer was around 5 pounds (imperial answer because most of them seem antiquated). Go figure!

However would you extract honey from a frame in a brood box / below the queen excluder

The answer to your reply is yes, but I don't normally.

There is no difference between honey from the brood box and honey that has been in the brood box and moved up?

I often find it necessary to remove frames of stores from the brood boxes (it is, after all primarily an area for brooding) to allow space for colony expansion.

I would often re-use those frames for nucs, or a colony short of stores, but there is no real reason for not extracting it, is there? Before you answer consider the context in my previous post.

Some definitely extract every last skeret of honey at the end of the season, including any reclaimable from the brood box, before replacing that honey with 'sugar honey' (ie autumn feeding) in readiness for the winter. These are mainly the commercially minded, who wish to maximise their crop.

As a know-nothing, I'd assume not!

Where bees are concerned it is better not to assume too much, or you will get yourself in a pickle, if not careful.

Regards, RAB
 
I very clearly didn't say you did extract brood....

Indeed, the BB*A used to have a rediculous question in one of their modules which read something like: 'How much honey is there in a full brood frame?'

The real answer, of course, is none (apart from perhaps a little in the honey arch), but the accepted answer was around 5 pounds (imperial answer because most of them seem antiquated). Go figure!

It isn't "ridiculous" as you say RAB: what is the point of sticking a scale on the side of a hive in winter to weigh stores if you don't know what it should weigh? Frames of winter stores, certainly in my hives, are in the brood box...(and before the pedantry re-emerges I know mine are bigger than five pounds thanks :)). Of course it could say brood box frame, but no-one's perfick ;)
 
Talking with Bees

Hi,
Thank you for posting your images on line. As I am a newbie too I have not had the 'pleasure' of seeing set honey either. What you experienced beeks have to realise is that practical sessions in apiaries with old dark combs and mouldy overwintered capped syrup looks very different to what is being produced on clean foundation and equipment. When I saw my first capped brood I thought it was capped honey as all the capped brood I had seen in the apiary was dark gingerbread colour! Everything is easy when you know how and everyone was once a beginner.
 
I have extracted many brood frames for Heather honey.

The colonies would come back from the moor broodless. Extract the brood boxes, give one frame of foundation and feed heavily, gallons this is not pints, and as if by magic four or five frames of brood appeared and the foundation drawn.

So yes it is practiced.

PH

PH, Why did they come back broodless?
 
Last year I too extracted honey from brood 'box' frames or deep frames.

I was trying a method of demaree swarm prevention and during the OSR season I found the frames in the upper BB filled with honey almost as fast as the brood hatched!
As I needed empty drawn deep frames for the next manipulation I extracted some and kept the rest as store / feed frames.

As RAB said and others there is no difference in the honey and I have heard that some beekeepers that want to get new deep frames drawn will use a deep box as the first super and after extracting them you have freshly drawn deep comb.
 
Well done NONSTANDARD :) You alone have provided an answer to the other persons question whilst resisting the urge to both pour scorn and adopt a superior attitude .
Talking With Bees .
Forget the flak, you will get there :D
VM
 
Hi,
What you experienced beeks have to realise is that practical sessions in apiaries with old dark combs and mouldy overwintered capped syrup looks very different to what is being produced on clean foundation and equipment.

Good Point.
 
Well done NONSTANDARD :) You alone have provided an answer to the other persons question whilst resisting the urge to both pour scorn and adopt a superior attitude .
Talking With Bees .
Forget the flak, you will get there :D
VM

:iagree:
 
Well done NONSTANDARD :) You alone have provided an answer to the other persons question whilst resisting the urge to both pour scorn and adopt a superior attitude .
Talking With Bees .
Forget the flak, you will get there :D
VM

:iagree:

and give support to Talking With Bees - take no heed.

The poor attitude comes under the heading of moronics and there are a few members.

Some may appear in a short while.
 
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Well done NONSTANDARD :) You alone have provided an answer to the other persons question whilst resisting the urge to both pour scorn and adopt a superior attitude .
Talking With Bees .
Forget the flak, you will get there :D
VM

2,4, and 5 are all perfectly acceptable factual answers...no sniping, no humiliating comments...commiserative fact.
 
Thanks all for the replies (and many thanks for the backup). I think it was an easy mistake to make for a newbee. I now know what granulated stores look like! Maybe I should have known before, but no training slides, books or beekeepers had shown me any.

This first year is about learning from experience and persistance. I'm planning to check this hive in 2 weeks time, to see if I can see any brood.

The newly hived swarm in my other hive looked good.

I've said how great this forum is in my latest post: Warning - Novice beekeeper alert.
 
OK

You could be the first forum advised and guided beekeeper who doesn't go to an association or have physical contact (Ugh!) with other beekeepers (lucky you!) :cool:

This will save you oodles of time from standing around drinking tea and being polite while you're asked how many hives you've got, how long you've been doing it, where you got your bees, would you like to buy some junk I'm getting rid of etc ) if that applies - of course!

I reckon there is all the advice and support you need on here, particularly with your quality photographs.

Plus you will become case-hardened from the flak! :)
 
2,4, and 5 are all perfectly acceptable factual answers...no sniping, no humiliating comments...commiserative fact.

I'll change my deodorant if you like .
Guy was jumped on and thread was highjacked !

I like your analogy of a typical day at a teaching apiary BBG :D
Dons flak jacket and waits for indignant responses :D
VM
 
Forgive my ignorance -if you take honey from brood boxes surely you will eggs & larvae when straining? An awful waste of bees I would say!
 

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