Spring expansion & crystalised ivy honey leftovers

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RichardK

House Bee
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Joined
May 17, 2021
Messages
458
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252
Location
Perpignan, France
Hive Type
Dadant
Number of Hives
Ideally 3 to 5.
Things are starting to get going here & I'm on 4 frames of brood & a 5th starting. I swapped out a couple of frames full of ivy honey today to make room for more brood and was stunned at how hard it is - it's all crystalised. What can I do with these frames now? Store them safely until a given hives needs them?
 
Yes just store them somewhere safe. The bees will take them if you uncap and quickly dunk the frame in water
But are you sure you should be taking the frames out in February? The bees are going to need the food. More stores are used in January February than in the rest of the winter
 
What can I do with these frames now? Store them safely until a given hives needs them?
You just answered your own question 😁 I take any surplus out in the spring and use them to make up nucs or emergency feeding during any dearth. Rock hard or not, the bees seem to cope with it
 
Yes just store them somewhere safe. The bees will take them if you uncap and quickly dunk the frame in water
But are you sure you should be taking the frames out in February? The bees are going to need the food. More stores are used in January February than in the rest of the winter
Hot water presumably? Or is it just about helping to dilute it, hence cold is fine?
 
Ah…. France. Has spring started where you are?
It certainly has. This winter so far hasn't really been a winter it seems. Some cold nights down to -5° in the morning, but nearly always sunny during the daytime. The bees have only been stuck inside for maybe a dozen days since December.
 
You just answered your own question 😁 I take any surplus out in the spring and use them to make up nucs or emergency feeding during any dearth. Rock hard or not, the bees seem to cope with it
It almost seems mean to give it back to them...... I can tap it with a screwdriver and leave no mark!
 
Normally if ivy is under cappings it retains moisture and it’s a more paste like. I reserve those frames for feeding early nucs.
 
Things are starting to get going here & I'm on 4 frames of brood & a 5th starting. I swapped out a couple of frames full of ivy honey today to make room for more brood and was stunned at how hard it is - it's all crystalised. What can I do with these frames now? Store them safely until a given hives needs them?
Is it not midwinter?
I'd be tempted to leave well alone until you're comfortable in a tee-shirt outside.
 
All the same, probably three weeks from almond blossom(it is in MIL's finca in Northern Spain)
Almond blossom started last week and mimosa for pollen the week before.
 
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Almond blossom started last week and mimosa for pollen the week before.
Perpignan is beautiful ... my daughter spent half of her in-country part of her language degree there - she was there in the winter and spring - we visited her and it hardly seemed possible leaving the UK in mid winter and getting to Perpignan in spring ... we were walking around in T-shirts in February ! I'm not surprised the bees are well advanced.
 

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