Uncapped honey

[Jaxxmac]

I have 1 hive in my garden and am not sure what to do with the honey in the super. I would say about half of it is capped and half isn't. The bees have just started storing honey/nectar in the brood box so I was going to extract from the super and feed them but the frames seem to be partly capped. I don't have a refractometer to check moisture content so wasn't sure whether it was a good idea to extract or wait a bit. Any advice gratefully received. I would say about 2/3 of the super is capped but not consistently on both sides of the frame! Thanks

 

[enrico]

Take a frame and hold it in both hands above the super, face one side down and give one good hard shake. If any nectar comes out it is not ripe. If it all stays in the frame then it is probably ripe. If the honey is for you it is certainly ripe enough to last you a year but probably not to sell if you are unsure. We did it this way all the time before refractometers.
The end two frames are best left. After removing the honey put the super back above a crown board with a hole in it and they will take all the unripe and wet honey out and store it below
E

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I have 1 hive in my garden and am not sure what to do with the honey in the super. I would say about half of it is capped and half isn't. The bees have just started storing honey/nectar in the brood box so I was going to extract from the super and feed them but the frames seem to be partly capped. I don't have a refractometer to check moisture content so wasn't sure whether it was a good idea to extract or wait a bit. Any advice gratefully received. I would say about 2/3 of the super is capped but not consistently on both sides of the frame! Thanks

Within moderation, partly capped is fine - in the past I've tested uncapped cells on a partly capped frame which came out at 15%, other times with a fully uncapped frame, more like pure water. If you haven't a refractometer, a shake test is a good indicator - when the super is still on the hive, take a frame out invert the frame give it two or three vigorous, sharp shakes downwards over the other frames, if no honey drops, or very few drops come from the frame - it's good.
If some frames have a lot of unripe honey in - nadir those frames in a super for a week or so and the bees will move the honey up into the brood.

 

[enrico]

Beat you ....hehe

 

[Jaxxmac]

Thanks, that makes sense and seems quite manageable

 

[Jaxxmac]

Take a frame and hold it in both hands above the super, face one side down and give one good hard shake. If any nectar comes out it is not ripe. If it all stays in the frame then it is probably ripe. If the honey is for you it is certainly ripe enough to last you a year but probably not to sell if you are unsure. We did it this way all the time before refractometers.
The end two frames are best left. After removing the honey put the super back above a crown board with a hole in it and they will take all the unripe and wet honey out and store it below
E

Thanks for this! Will give it a try.