The Bees Win

[The Poot]

I recently had a bucket of honey well over the threshold for jarring, plus several frames of uncapped honey, also over the threshold.
The hive still had a super of nectar, just over half filled and largely uncapped, which I decided to leave on.
I diluted the honey and fed back to the bees via a rapid feeder - it went in less than a day. So repeated with same result.
I checked them yesterday and found a totally full super with all bar two frames fully capped with lovely white wax.
I bet it’s well under 20% moisture as well.
Bless them

 

[Karol]

I recently had a bucket of honey well over the threshold for jarring, plus several frames of uncapped honey, also over the threshold.
The hive still had a super of nectar, just over half filled and largely uncapped, which I decided to leave on.
I diluted the honey and fed back to the bees via a rapid feeder - it went in less than a day. So repeated with same result.
I checked them yesterday and found a totally full super with all bar two frames fully capped with lovely white wax.
I bet it’s well under 20% moisture as well.
Bless them

Would be interesting to know if one could scent or flavour the honey re-fed to the bees for a uniquely flavoured honey?

 

[Michael ECB's]

Would be interesting to know if one could scent or flavour the honey re-fed to the bees for a uniquely flavoured honey?

I think that would be the beginning of a very slippery slope...

 

[Karol]

I think that would be the beginning of a very slippery slope...

I guess it could but not as slippery as some of the outright adulteration that goes on.

Just thinking aloud really. Steep the honey in a suitable (safe) floral bouquet and see what's produced after it's been re-fed.

 

[Newbeeneil]

I bet it’s well under 20% moisture as well.
Bless them

I wouldn't bank on it, quite a few of my capped supers were around 20%! It's been a bad year for low mc's

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes same here. A lot of my honey has spent a few days in the warmer with a dehumidifier.

 

[bobba]

I saw a youtube where a guy fed his honey back to his bees to make Ross Rounds.

He said you needed a good steady flow to make high quality ross rounds.

He selected bees that made good wax to produce the rounds, then fed them the honey from his other hives whenever there was a dearth.

This guy was obsessed with making rounds as he said he could get top $ for them.

 

[The Poot]

I wouldn't bank on it, quite a few of my capped supers were around 20%! It's been a bad year for low mc's

Well they can keep it, whatever the mc. I too have had to do the old dehumidifier trick this year. I unfortunately extracted on a humid day and ended with honey right on the cusp -19.5.

 

[Frizzaldo]

unless you can guarantee you are feeding it back to the same hive you risk spreading disease.
May not be the highest risk if from the same apiary but many beginners read this forum and might think this is ok to do so the risk should be flagged

 

[bobba]

unless you can guarantee you are feeding it back to the same hive you risk spreading disease.
May not be the highest risk if from the same apiary but many beginners read this forum and might think this is ok to do so the risk should be flagged

That is a good point.

From what I recall the guy in the vid extracted honey from a bunch of hives, then mixed it all together before re-feeding.

But definitely something to consider if you did some re-feeding.

I feed all my wet capping to 1 hive last year, but decided it was not good practice for the very reason you mentioned so did not do it this year.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

do you lot always change into fresh clean bee suits, gloves and use a freshly sterilised hive tool before moving on to the next hive to be inspected?

 

[user 819]

Feeding within your apiary stores from your other colonies is fine esp as you should know their health status, it is the open feeding that attracts all comers that will be of more concern or using feed from other colonies that are not yours.