Logistics of clearing bees from many hives

[Levitt53]

In the past I've only had one hive to take honey from so it's been rather simple. However this year I have three going great guns and there is OSR around. I have one rhombus clearer board with the bits to make one more but I'm just wondering what you do when you have honey to take off a few hives at the same time, presumably you don't extract them one at a time.

I'm assuming you clear them then just store them somewhere outside (beeproof obviously) but should this be in the sun or the shade?

Also do you always keep honey from different supers or hives separate? Possibly not now as it's all likely to be a mix of OSR but maybe in the summer it will be different. I have a few buckets but do you wash the extractor out each time?

Thanks

 

[colinc]

I have a similar number of colonies to you. Extract when the flowers fade on the OSR, if I can’t extract immediately I have stored overnight in the conservatory, well sealed to stop it acting as an attractant for ants and bees. I would wash the extractor out though because once you have set up to extract it is easier to get it all done if you can. Then you only need to wash down once.

Easier and more bug proof to store in buckets and jar when you need it.



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[colinc]

All my honey at a single extraction goes in together. Mine is always mixed floral. I keep spring extraction and summer/autumn separate, spring usually sets and later tends to be more runny. Mix those and it will all set. Buckets are labelled. Only time you need to separate hives is if you take a hive to a specific crop (lime/borage/heather).

Capped supers are usually empty of bees so you can clear them quickly and then add to stacks over clearers on other hives til you are ready to extract if you have no disease issues and not enough clearers.

I only have a 3 frame extractor which is the time limited, but last year managed 5 supers in a few hours start to finish.


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[Finman]

I suggest that you extract at once the box when you have taken honey away and honey is warm. If the honey cools down you should warm it up again. That means that chaking bees from combs is best way to clean bees off.

 

[mjt68]

Not answering your question but a fume board works fantastically for me. Only one trip to hive and can clear super after super.

 

[eltalia]

Not answering your question but a fume board works fantastically for me. Only one trip to hive and can clear super after super.

For the fume board you are using as vapour, what?

Bill

 

[colinc]

I’ve always had good results with my triangle escapes. Only have to shake off the odd straggler.


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[Millet]

I simply shake and brush the bees from each frame and place the frames in a empty super with a solid crown board on top..I extract any supers the same day and put it straight in buckets while it is still warm..the sooner the better where OSR is concerned.

 

[Beefriendly]

Not answering your question but a fume board works fantastically for me. Only one trip to hive and can clear super after super.

Never managed to get fume boards to work. My latest attempt even incorporated fan.
Tea tree oil and something else....bees didn't like it but still didn't clear.
I'd be interested in how you set up yours.

 

[masterBK]

Once you have got your shaking technique right (one shake clearing all or almost all the bees off the comb) then shaking bees off combs is the wayto go for me especially if two people can work as a team (second person brushs remaining bees of comb, puts frame in super and covers it) . Takes less than two minutes per super. Also identifies which combs are ready to extraction and which are not.

 

[enrico]

Whatever you do don't store them outside!!!!!
Take off one or two box's. Extract, bottle or tub the honey ,don't clean anything. As soon as you remove the supers off the hive put the escapes on for two more boxes. Swap the extracted wet boxes for these the following day and continue until all done!
E

 

[Levitt53]

Ok thanks for your of your suggestions. I'll ponder and see what I think will work for me.

 

[Poly Hive]

I find the clearer boards work very well.

I tried the brush twice and it was a complete nightmare for me and the bees and promptly was binned.

The down side of course to the boards is the double travel but as it is so gentle on the bees I think it's worth the time and fuel to do it. Evan when it was a 100 mile round trip to the heather sites.

PH

 

[GuyNir]

I use couple of rhombus escapes attached to the Paynes crown board, works a treat. As PH says, need to get to the hive twice (mine very close to the house, so no issue at all), but very gentle on the bees and zero stress.

 

[Stiffy]

Never managed to get fume boards to work. My latest attempt even incorporated fan.
Tea tree oil and something else....bees didn't like it but still didn't clear.
I'd be interested in how you set up yours.

I was wondering how you got on with a fume board, didn’t you make your own version of beequick or am I thinking of someone else?
I have used beequick for the 4 years and find it works a treat, but you do need to make sure the metal cover of clearer board is very warm.
S

 

[colinc]

I find the clearer boards work very well.



I tried the brush twice and it was a complete nightmare for me and the bees and promptly was binned.



The down side of course to the boards is the double travel but as it is so gentle on the bees I think it's worth the time and fuel to do it. Evan when it was a 100 mile round trip to the heather sites.



PH

+1 for this as I have garden bees. The one time I tried brushing the garden wasn’t safe for 2 days and I have calm bees. If I wanted speed and didn’t have the defensive issue I would invest in or borrow a leaf blower over a brush.


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[Teebeeaitch]

Rhombus escapes for me as it’s just garden hives. Works every time and very few bees in the air. A stress free way for me and the bees. I am stealing their honey and with this method they don’t even seem to notice which is just how I like it.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Rhombus escapes - even the out apiaries, with a bit of thought, rather than being two trips, clear the furthest apiary first, then, on the way home with a full load of supers, put the boards on the next, second furthest apiary

 

[For want of a better word]

Quick blast with a leaf blower will clear most of the bees... then stick the open filled supers on the Defenders roof rack and drive home.... any bees left will be blown away... and bees will not keep up if you can get to 35mph!!! Useful if you can get some help loading the supers on and off at each end.... straight into the extraction facility especially with OSR!
Thats what I does... can not be messing with poncy hair spray and costly clearing sprays!

Chons da

 

[Beefriendly]

I was wondering how you got on with a fume board, didn’t you make your own version of beequick or am I thinking of someone else?
I have used beequick for the 4 years and find it works a treat, but you do need to make sure the metal cover of clearer board is very warm.
S

Yes a tried and advised version of beewuick.
Warm metal cover.........used a fan to drive fumes downward. 15 mins later still full of bees.
If you need a warm day....too unreliable. Used fan as saw some American's use A drain pipe to direct wind onto cloth with mixture.