Nectar in brood combs

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Finman

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It is good sign. Bees spread nectar to dry up everywhere when it is a good flow. That is why hive needs 3 supers when they get one capped honey super.

If nectar layer is thick in the cell, it takes more time to dry up. It means much, how dry is nectar when bees bring it home.

Do not push bees to order. They know what to do.
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If the combs are "full" of fresh nectar, you see later how much they got honey from that. IT is just ripening there.
 
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That's reassuring Finman; thanks. Have just been out at the hives wondering whether I should try and do something about the brood boxes filling with stores. Supers above have space.
 
That's reassuring Finman; thanks. Have just been out at the hives wondering whether I should try and do something about the brood boxes filling with stores. Supers above have space.

Perhaps you have too much super space and supers are cold. Reduce ventilation if you have mesh floor. Take a super off if it does not have bees.

Bee must occupy frames. Otherwise they do no store into them.

Situation changes when colony grows.
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Situation changes when colony grows.
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They were okay in this respect, but, well, one colony has just shrunk dramatically unfortunately. :( You will understand why...
and will continue to do so :(:( with no immediate need for laying space for a bit in there then...
(Have never before today seen so many bees with little plates of wax on their abdomens though.)
 
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It is good sign. Bees spread nectar to dry up everywhere when it is a good flow. That is why hive needs 3 supers when they get one capped honey super.

If nectar layer is thick in the cell, it takes more time to dry up. It means much, how dry is nectar when bees bring it home.

Do not push bees to order. They know what to do.
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If the combs are "full" of fresh nectar, you see later how much they got honey from that. IT is just ripening there.

Good post, Finman, and some very useful points. Thanks for that. So if bees are stashing nectar with say 50% water content, by the time it has dried out to 18/20% the volume will have reduced by 30%. So do the workers top up the cell with more nectar or with honey from another cell?

Or is that why there is always a small layer of air at the top of the capped cell?
 
Nectar is sometimes low and sometimes high sugar content. Like this morning, bees did no forage fireweed nectar, because it was too wet. Temp was 20C. It was rain in the evening.

I do not start to make further theories about ripening. Bees take care about their basic duty.

I noticed yesterday that my best forager hive has started to make beard. They need more space and I just finished 10 foundation frames. Drawing prevent swarming.

No need to make complex theories which do not help to nurse hives.

When I open the hive down to brood boxes, I know more.
 
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As this thread is heading to a general nectar processing in the hive theme I have a query. Are some nectar's and ultimate honey kept separate or is it all blended. I.e. will Honey dew be stored together and perhaps ivy. I realise 99% of the forage is mixed but are there any exceptions?
 
As this thread is heading to a general nectar processing in the hive theme I have a query. Are some nectar's and ultimate honey kept separate or is it all blended. I.e. will Honey dew be stored together and perhaps ivy. I realise 99% of the forage is mixed but are there any exceptions?

At least they are mixed in extractor. ... Why different nectar should be kept separate? What is the advantage to bees about that?

Bees have an instinct to forage different plant species. They must mix the nectar. Otherwise they could not store their winter food.
 
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At least they are mixed in extractor. ... Why different nectar should be kept separate? What is the advantage to bees about that?

Pass. Academic interest so to speak.

I don't mix it all up extracting as different supers/ frames produce different months and colours of Honey. The best will be entered into the most suitable classes at the local honey show later I the year.
 
At least they are mixed in extractor. ... Why different nectar should be kept separate? What is the advantage to bees about that?

Pass. Academic interest so to speak.

I don't mix it all up extracting as different supers/ frames produce different months and colours of Honey. The best will be entered into the most suitable classes at the local honey show later I the year.
 

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