Should capped frames be mved to the centre (just now)?

[user 20297]

Slightly plagiarising the title of another recent thread. I live in an area where some of my bees will easily and inevitably access ling heather. Last year I experienced a minor beginner-beekeeper trauma in trying to remove a smallish amount of some very viscous (but very tasty) honey.

I had vowed that this year, at the end of July, in my hives that are permanently very close to the heather, I would rearrange them to initially leave one box of empty, unbrooded, drawn frames so that I had several options for how I processed any honey from that date. My bees will almost simultaneously have access to a lot of Himalayan balsam,so I don't yet feel that slight, end of season despair that seems to affect some beekeepers just now.

I read that when actively moving to the heather honey it is recommended to condense the brood down into one or two boxes and to place the uncapped brood and eggs at the side and the capped in the middle; I do understand the logic behind that.

I wonder if anyone agrees that this might be a good technique to apply in any case to my home hives which will "contaminate" late season honey with heather?

 

[paul24]

I am not a beekeeper from the UK,

Slightly plagiarising the title of another recent thread. I live in an area where some of my bees will easily and inevitably access ling heather. Last year I experienced a minor beginner-beekeeper trauma in trying to remove a smallish amount of some very viscous (but very tasty) honey.

I had vowed that this year, at the end of July, in my hives that are permanently very close to the heather, I would rearrange them to initially leave one box of empty, unbrooded, drawn frames so that I had several options for how I processed any honey from that date. My bees will almost simultaneously have access to a lot of Himalayan balsam,so I don't yet feel that slight, end of season despair that seems to affect some beekeepers just now.

I read that when actively moving to the heather honey it is recommended to condense the brood down into one or two boxes and to place the uncapped brood and eggs at the side and the capped in the middle; I do understand the logic behind that.

I wonder if anyone agrees that this might be a good technique to apply in any case to my home hives which will "contaminate" late season honey with heather?

Why would you move the uncapped to the side and the capped brood to the middle?
just curious...

 

[Erichalfbee]

The OP has left us and for some reason has a forum name change

 

[pargyle]

The OP has left us and for some reason has a forum name change

It was Beebe - didn't they ask to leave the forum ?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes

 

[Curly green finger's]

Aye good to see him back

 

[pargyle]

He's not....

 

[Erichalfbee]

Aye good to see him back

Philips right. He’s not.

 

[Curly green finger's]

I am not a beekeeper from the UK,

Why would you move the uncapped to the side and the capped brood to the middle?
just curious...

To keep it short, it keeps all of the nectar/honey up above the brood box in your honey boxes.
Emerging capped brood in the centre will give the queen space to lay out side uncapped brood frames will emerge after two/three weeks, I use summer honey frames flanked either side of the brood frames .

Hopefully that explains it?

Mark

 

[Curly green finger's]

Philips right. He’s not.

Oh well I’ve answered Paul’s question.

 

[paul24]

Thank you!

Oh well I’ve answered Paul’s question.

 

[ericbeaumont]

Why would you move the uncapped

uncapped brood frames will emerge after two/three weeks

Yes, a good question and answer, but just to hammer home the advantage: occupation of the outer frames for the longest time possible will prevent heather nectar going into those combs, and bees will have no option but to put it upstairs.

 

[paul24]

Yes, a good question and answer, but just to hammer home the advantage: occupation of the outer frames for the longest time possible will prevent heather nectar going into those combs, and bees will have no option but to put it upstairs.

ok I got it now.
So is heather honey like special honey of some sort? is it sought after by the market compared to other honeys?

 

[ericbeaumont]

is heather honey like special honey of some sort? is it sought after by the market compared to other honeys?

It is the Roll-Royce of honeys. Two sorts, bell or ling. Bell flowers late July and will extract as usual, ling flowers later, into September, is thixotropic and must be pressed.

I have bees on Surrey heathland for bell (ling never produces there) and it is the favourite at market in London. Crop is dependent on rain in May & June because heath is sandy and drains fast. Moorland holds moisture better.

https://www.wob.com/en-gb/books/pro...GooWrDxuEY3KIpAaAqxdEALw_wcB#NLS9781908904614
https://wordery.com/heather-honey-a...nc1kdhM5ToSw95RIZ_cYWhvTK0fIrgQwaAoM8EALw_wcB
https://www.nhbs.com/heather-honey-...O51LB3AolrwtK6h3C0czhSfg5XqBQ84waAvmoEALw_wcB

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

is thixotropic and must be pressed

Not so - it can be extracted tangentially after being agitated