Comments on: Crush & Strain Honey Harvest + Video

By: Gene Rene'

Gene Rene' — Sat, 01 Sep 2018 18:30:11 +0000

In reply to Jim. If you know you have a sick hive, then I wouldn't recommend it. But if you consider that the diseases of honey bees seem centered around the brood nest and not the honey supers, I would feel comfortable enough doing the crush and strain.

By: Jim

Jim — Fri, 17 Aug 2018 04:22:21 +0000

I wonder if this method of allowing bees to clean up honey from old comb isn’t a reason for disease spreading between hives, especially when wild bees are invited in so close to your own domestic bees?
So is this another cause of ccd?

By: Gene Rene'

Gene Rene' — Fri, 14 Jul 2017 12:53:30 +0000

This method is only one way to get honey without using an extractor. I’ve actually scraped or scratched the cells and let it drip out too. If you are concerned about hurting the bees by destroying the comb, just remember NOT to harvest more than what your bees need to survive. They will happily build more honey comb next season during the flow, or feed a little sugar water for them to use in building comb.

By: Sam Shafer

Sam Shafer — Tue, 11 Jul 2017 16:41:55 +0000

I guess it’s an ok process if you’re not going to keep your bees to produce next season. There’s a very good reason we spin the frames and preserve the comb for next year’s honey. Save’s the bees a lot of work and they will produce more. You still get wax to use when you cut off the cappings.

By: Rattlerjake

Rattlerjake — Thu, 06 Jul 2017 17:37:13 +0000

In reply to Lynette Gillespie. This only creates a robbing situation if you place these gleanings near you hives. Place then far away from your hives and even separate into 2 or 3 feeding stations. The bees will not recognize this as part of their hive and will just be intent on feeding on the honey.

By: Rattlerjake

Rattlerjake — Thu, 06 Jul 2017 17:33:20 +0000

What a mess! Next time try using a couple of old baking sheets, overturned plastic tote lid, or other large tray with an edge around it and spread the wax/honey mix on it. The bees can do the same thing and you won’t have to clean up wax chips scattered all over your deck. Also an easier way to drain honey from comb is to cut the caps off and simply turn the comb upside down in the bucket. Bees form comb with a slight incline at the cell entrance so that the honey will not spill out while they fill the cells, so when turned over it will drain without having to crush up all of that comb, and faster.

By: MLisa

MLisa — Sun, 10 Jul 2016 19:20:35 +0000

I always enjoy your videos. I like this one but music was a bit loud. Love ya!! 🙂

By: Lynette Gillespie

Lynette Gillespie — Fri, 08 Jul 2016 00:21:51 +0000

Hi! I enjoyed watching your video!
We purchased a hive a year ago last April in upstate NY. Luckily our hive survived the winter!
Last year when I was enjoying our first harvest I used the same technique to separate the honey from the wax! I took the remaining honey covered wax and tools back to the top of the hive on a parchment covered cookie sheet for the bees to clean up. They cleaned up every speck of honey within a couple hours!
Later when I was visiting our local bee supplier/beekeeper they informed me that if you have more than one hive this probably isn’t the best idea because it can lead to hive “robbing” from other hives causing the bees to fight it out with each other basically because the host hive bees are protecting their hive and the robbers will actually try to steal the reserves in the main box leaving nothing for the host hive. Apparently this can also happen with bees from other hives within their 2-3 mile territory.
I thought that was interesting but the next time I decided to harvest another few frames I did the same thing. I did observe what I would describe as fighting (bees attacking bees) with hundreds of the bees. Many died in the process. Our hive did survive the winter but I wonder if you have ever noticed that same thing happen?
Thanks,
Lynette