Essentially yes, only for brood on the bottom. They "clean" up themselves. Queen excluder is a wire or plastic device that is sized to only allow the workers through- keeping the queen out. This is used for several things but mainly for keeping the queen out of the area you want to pull honey from, thereby keeping eggs and larvae from getting into your honey.
The shallow super is the one that looks to be half the size of the larger ones. They are typically used for honey production but ANY size will do. The smaller frames are easier to handle when full of honey.
In general people start with one deep hive body more or less as a brood chamber, storage etc. Then as the hive expands they add a second deep. This is usually used as a place for more brood and honey storage. Sometimes a queen excluder is put down and then a shallow super is put on4 honey.
So the bottom box is ONLY for brood and some food storage for the bees and we are not to disturb or harvest from this box? Do we need to maintain or clean out that box or do the bees just continue to reuse the cells over and over to house their brood? Also, if you add a second large box, is it also treated like the first box…undisturbed? Next what is a Queen excluder, how does it work? Thanks for your quick reply!
Thanks for this great series! I am a true beginner and I really need to understand this process step by step. What is the shallow super? You went from beginning a hive to harvesting and I do not understand this stacking of hive boxes or why that is done. I have seen other videos with many hives stacked. Is that several hives, each with its own queen, stacked for space sake or is that one hive that has expanded upward and the boxes work together? Thanks again!
Yes you can use the wax for candles. We use a meshbag and put all the cappings, etc. in there and let the honey drip out for a few days. Even then you'll have to further separate the two. The little amount of wax you get from them is not usually worth the effort though.
I'd love to keep bees but I'm not sure my housemates would like it much. :) Perhaps I can convince my mother to let me put a hive at home.
Can you use the wax caps for wax candles? How do you separate the honey and wax so you can end up with pure wax to be moulded into candles? I love the idea of using both the wax and the honey. :)
@therealsporadicaarmy Oh sure, that's the more common method. We use solar power so energy consumption, especially on electrical items that produce HEAT is always a big concern. Nothing wrong with our "low tech" way, you might not always HAVE power.
we do it a bit differently we just take the whole honey box off, put it on a stand infront of the hive and use a bigger hive tool to split the frames apart a bit and blow the bees out with a small handheld leaf blower. All the bees land on the ground and crawl back into the brood box. We collect 200 honey boxes a day from 3 or 4 different sites anywere to 60miles from our base
@sammyssb He used his light saber to uncap the honey but it caused a major mess. His brother Chad Vader, dominates the retail food industry in Wisconsin..... LOL If you haven't seen the "Chad Vader" series, it's here on youtube and hillarious!
I love honey comb. I wish it wasn't so expensive. I also make mead so i buy a lot of honey. if i had enough property i probably would take up Bee keeping.
"Super" is a generic term that means hive body. It CAN mean either a deep hive body, a medium hive body or the shallow hive body. MOST of the time it's used to describe a shallow hive body, which in the video is the top ones that are removed for the extraction of the honey. Basically it contains the honey YOU take, the honey in the bottom two deep bodies is left for the bees to overwinter. Even with that, it's good to supplement feed in the winter, IMO.
Yes if there is still time for them to work on them left in the season. By late fall you want to crowd them down, so take off any extra supers. This also helps them with less area to defend against wax moths. We had a BAD problem with wax moths this year, lost more than a few hives to the demon spawn....
Not typically if they have at least 2 deeps and then a shallow. If for some reason it's a shallow right over 1 deep, then I'll use one. A lot of folks think they actually hinder honey flow, I can't comment on that. They have other uses- helping to hold swarms (trapping the queen after you capturing her), etc.
Are you asking how long between putting on a shallow super (the smaller boxes)? The general rule is when 7 of the 10 frames are filled in the compartment right below, then it's time to put on another deep or a shallow depending on where you are. Even down south here with mild winters, we use two deep hive bodies. When those are filled (that's the bees food storage) then we put on shallow super (that's OUR honey). Does this answer your question?
It's regularly 100 or more during the day here in the summer just more humid. A roof wouldn't be my FIRST choice for a location, but if it's your only choice, it may work. I've heard of folks doing it. Good luck!
I really love your series. It was very informative.
I recently went on vacation and was able to see a bee hive inside and out. I was so amazed and now have fallen in love w/the idea of having my own bee hive. Wanted to ask you something?
I actually live in United Arab Emirates, so it's pretty hot, 100s. I was wondering, if I put my bees on my roof (2 story house) (I have 2 small kids and neighbors) would it work? I am thinking of safety? Ie kicked balls, etc.
Yes all are facing the same direction- south- the direction they should be facing. Can't see much point in facing them all in different directions???? "Too close together?" How ya figure that? No snow in this area. Every beekeeper large or small that I know of uses a similar spacing. Probably can't tell from the video but these are close to 2' apart.
Where have you ever heard that they should be at a "different angle?"
Bees will rob irregardless of location, good management techniques keep that under control.
Might be a location/climate type thing, down here this is the spacing used by all the big beekeepers. Only thing I can see that might affect this would be snow drifts- no snow down here so that's not an issue.
Vader FTW!
Javin007 7 months ago
darth vader is a bee keeper!
countparas 9 months ago 2
Essentially yes, only for brood on the bottom. They "clean" up themselves. Queen excluder is a wire or plastic device that is sized to only allow the workers through- keeping the queen out. This is used for several things but mainly for keeping the queen out of the area you want to pull honey from, thereby keeping eggs and larvae from getting into your honey.
SurvivalReport 1 year ago
The shallow super is the one that looks to be half the size of the larger ones. They are typically used for honey production but ANY size will do. The smaller frames are easier to handle when full of honey.
In general people start with one deep hive body more or less as a brood chamber, storage etc. Then as the hive expands they add a second deep. This is usually used as a place for more brood and honey storage. Sometimes a queen excluder is put down and then a shallow super is put on4 honey.
SurvivalReport 1 year ago
So the bottom box is ONLY for brood and some food storage for the bees and we are not to disturb or harvest from this box? Do we need to maintain or clean out that box or do the bees just continue to reuse the cells over and over to house their brood? Also, if you add a second large box, is it also treated like the first box…undisturbed? Next what is a Queen excluder, how does it work? Thanks for your quick reply!
cmorecs 1 year ago
Thanks for this great series! I am a true beginner and I really need to understand this process step by step. What is the shallow super? You went from beginning a hive to harvesting and I do not understand this stacking of hive boxes or why that is done. I have seen other videos with many hives stacked. Is that several hives, each with its own queen, stacked for space sake or is that one hive that has expanded upward and the boxes work together? Thanks again!
cmorecs 1 year ago
Yes you can use the wax for candles. We use a meshbag and put all the cappings, etc. in there and let the honey drip out for a few days. Even then you'll have to further separate the two. The little amount of wax you get from them is not usually worth the effort though.
SurvivalReport 1 year ago
I'd love to keep bees but I'm not sure my housemates would like it much. :) Perhaps I can convince my mother to let me put a hive at home.
Can you use the wax caps for wax candles? How do you separate the honey and wax so you can end up with pure wax to be moulded into candles? I love the idea of using both the wax and the honey. :)
icekat83 1 year ago
can you please tell me where can i find the bee veil that you whear on the video ?
thanks
anorlast 1 year ago
can you get capping knives with a heating element inside them so it is constantly hot and you don't have to keep putting on the burner?
therealsporadicaarmy 1 year ago
@therealsporadicaarmy Oh sure, that's the more common method. We use solar power so energy consumption, especially on electrical items that produce HEAT is always a big concern. Nothing wrong with our "low tech" way, you might not always HAVE power.
SurvivalReport 1 year ago
we do it a bit differently we just take the whole honey box off, put it on a stand infront of the hive and use a bigger hive tool to split the frames apart a bit and blow the bees out with a small handheld leaf blower. All the bees land on the ground and crawl back into the brood box. We collect 200 honey boxes a day from 3 or 4 different sites anywere to 60miles from our base
deano845 2 years ago
DARTH VADAR
sammyssb 2 years ago 5
@sammyssb He used his light saber to uncap the honey but it caused a major mess. His brother Chad Vader, dominates the retail food industry in Wisconsin..... LOL If you haven't seen the "Chad Vader" series, it's here on youtube and hillarious!
SurvivalReport 2 years ago
there is honey that has not been heated - raw honey
melissacarl2002 2 years ago
@melissacarl2002 The honey is NOT "heated" when it's spun in an extractor.
SurvivalReport 2 years ago
@melissacarl2002 yes dear i was jok'n
joedacop 2 years ago
doesnt that extractor heat up the honey and kill all the nutrients enzymes and antioxidants ??
melissacarl2002 2 years ago
Very very little "heat" produced. If you licked some honey before and after you wouldn't be able to tell any difference in temp.
SurvivalReport 2 years ago
yes it does, ruins that honey,,, never eat honey again!!!!!
joedacop 2 years ago
@joedacop I'm assuming your joking LOL.
SurvivalReport 2 years ago
Nice job.
hiramewastaken 2 years ago
lolololololololl Darth Vader. but man that honey looks good ^_^
hankparish 2 years ago
I love honey comb. I wish it wasn't so expensive. I also make mead so i buy a lot of honey. if i had enough property i probably would take up Bee keeping.
sharpie443 2 years ago
how long can i keep caped honey before i extract it ,
judge6754 2 years ago
capped honey lasts forever. it doesnt go bad.
wm6001 2 years ago
honey is the onle food that doesent spoils. archeologyst found honey in egyptian pyramids and it was fresh ready for eatingg, not changed!!!
amazing!!!
tamudo034 2 years ago
Darth Vader helping Dad extract the honey is priceless!!!! Thanks for sharing these beekeeping videos.They're excellent.
ggmorvaj 2 years ago
great looking honey..well filled combs..thank you again Dave for another brilliant video
bigbillyholmes 2 years ago
where would all of the brood of gone when it is time for harvesting the honey?
williamthebike 2 years ago
hahah, can we please discuss Darth Vader coming in out of nowhere? Funnyyyyyyyyy!!!
twink1ebug 3 years ago 8
He's a relative of ours, Fred Vader is his name. He drops by from time to time.
SurvivalReport 3 years ago
Also, what does super mean?
ccoasterdesigner 3 years ago
"Super" is a generic term that means hive body. It CAN mean either a deep hive body, a medium hive body or the shallow hive body. MOST of the time it's used to describe a shallow hive body, which in the video is the top ones that are removed for the extraction of the honey. Basically it contains the honey YOU take, the honey in the bottom two deep bodies is left for the bees to overwinter. Even with that, it's good to supplement feed in the winter, IMO.
SurvivalReport 3 years ago
I understand that it comes from the latin supra meaning "above"
ApiaryManager 3 years ago
Isn't that soo incredible that the water level is just right for it not to ferment?!?
ccoasterdesigner 3 years ago
Yes and I highly doubt "evilution" had much to do with it.
SurvivalReport 3 years ago
After harvesting honey,do you replace the frames back on the hives?
And when winter comes do you shorten the hives(reduce the supers).
donttrustsnowmen 3 years ago
Yes if there is still time for them to work on them left in the season. By late fall you want to crowd them down, so take off any extra supers. This also helps them with less area to defend against wax moths. We had a BAD problem with wax moths this year, lost more than a few hives to the demon spawn....
SurvivalReport 3 years ago
Love your sense of humour.
Maybe Darth could loan you his light saber to cut the caps off.
DontPanic6X7 3 years ago
We tried that, the heat melted the wax. He was able to use a force push to get the last of the honey out of the cells though ;) Thanks for watching.
SurvivalReport 3 years ago
do you use a queen excluder?
twdjr15 3 years ago
Not typically if they have at least 2 deeps and then a shallow. If for some reason it's a shallow right over 1 deep, then I'll use one. A lot of folks think they actually hinder honey flow, I can't comment on that. They have other uses- helping to hold swarms (trapping the queen after you capturing her), etc.
SurvivalReport 3 years ago
yes.....thank-you
smoothED402iw 3 years ago
how long did you wait before putting on the smaller boxes from #7,there was a months thime without them
smoothED402iw 3 years ago
Are you asking how long between putting on a shallow super (the smaller boxes)? The general rule is when 7 of the 10 frames are filled in the compartment right below, then it's time to put on another deep or a shallow depending on where you are. Even down south here with mild winters, we use two deep hive bodies. When those are filled (that's the bees food storage) then we put on shallow super (that's OUR honey). Does this answer your question?
SurvivalReport 3 years ago
It's regularly 100 or more during the day here in the summer just more humid. A roof wouldn't be my FIRST choice for a location, but if it's your only choice, it may work. I've heard of folks doing it. Good luck!
SurvivalReport 3 years ago
I really love your series. It was very informative.
I recently went on vacation and was able to see a bee hive inside and out. I was so amazed and now have fallen in love w/the idea of having my own bee hive. Wanted to ask you something?
I actually live in United Arab Emirates, so it's pretty hot, 100s. I was wondering, if I put my bees on my roof (2 story house) (I have 2 small kids and neighbors) would it work? I am thinking of safety? Ie kicked balls, etc.
Time2Compose 3 years ago
Don't see why you couldn't. If you use an afro pick the honey might come out "DY NO MITE!!!"
;)
SurvivalReport 3 years ago
All i know is that darth vader is rubbish at spinning the centrifuge.
DannyTravels08 3 years ago
He got the hang of it after a while. He was using his mechanical hand at first.
SurvivalReport 3 years ago
The hives look like they are too close together,and they look like they are all facing the same direction???
MacPharlain666 3 years ago
Yes all are facing the same direction- south- the direction they should be facing. Can't see much point in facing them all in different directions???? "Too close together?" How ya figure that? No snow in this area. Every beekeeper large or small that I know of uses a similar spacing. Probably can't tell from the video but these are close to 2' apart.
SurvivalReport 3 years ago
Each hive should be at a slightly different angle.They look to close together from the video,i can't really tell.
If they are too close this leads to robbing and drifting.
I notice some beekeepers have the hives so close together that they are touching.
MacPharlain666 3 years ago
Where have you ever heard that they should be at a "different angle?"
Bees will rob irregardless of location, good management techniques keep that under control.
Might be a location/climate type thing, down here this is the spacing used by all the big beekeepers. Only thing I can see that might affect this would be snow drifts- no snow down here so that's not an issue.
SurvivalReport 3 years ago
i would heat 2 knife in there so u can keep switching between the 2 less time wasted
Bobby05281991 3 years ago
Good idea, need another knife as a backup anyways :)
SurvivalReport 3 years ago
Thanks. We found him while searching for a new hyperdrive at this junk dealer's place on Tatooine....
SurvivalReport 3 years ago