🐝💗Our Backyard Beekeeping Journey!💗🐝

[R2elk]

The Rabbit Brush and Sagebrush are still in full bloom.

These are also in full bloom here. I have never seen anything other than ants on the sagebrush.

 

[R2elk]

bee plant

The Rocky Mountain Bee Plant is done bloomiing here. The seed pods are ripening.

 

[Sally PB]

We just took the top boxes off our (two) hives. The Newbees had done nothing up there on bare frames except to start to draw a tiny bit of comb. We had a frame feeder (empty) in that box, which we removed. In the top brood box, they are packing in nectar and honey. Yay!

The Charlatans' top box had about a frame and a half of capped honey. They also had uncapped. We removed that box and the QE. We looked in the top brood box, and they are packing in nectar and honey. Yay!

So my first question is... what do I do with 2 gallons of 2:1 syrup? Can I store it until spring in the fridge? We'll be putting a super and QE on both hives then. I hate to throw out about 15 pounds of sugar.

We either need to find another way to feed, or a way to safely store the syrup. We're having above average temps now, but our average frost can be just about any time now. The meteorologists say we'll be having a pattern shift in our weather in about a week.

My second question: What do we do with frames that are partially capped, or uncapped? I don't have freezer space to store them.

 

[5Australorpasaures]

We just took the top boxes off our (two) hives. The Newbees had done nothing up there on bare frames except to start to draw a tiny bit of comb. We had a frame feeder (empty) in that box, which we removed. In the top brood box, they are packing in nectar and honey. Yay!

The Charlatans' top box had about a frame and a half of capped honey. They also had uncapped. We removed that box and the QE. We looked in the top brood box, and they are packing in nectar and honey. Yay!

So my first question is... what do I do with 2 gallons of 2:1 syrup? Can I store it until spring in the fridge? We'll be putting a super and QE on both hives then. I hate to throw out about 15 pounds of sugar.

We either need to find another way to feed, or a way to safely store the syrup. We're having above average temps now, but our average frost can be just about any time now. The meteorologists say we'll be having a pattern shift in our weather in about a week.

My second question: What do we do with frames that are partially capped, or uncapped? I don't have freezer space to store them.

I can't keep feed on our 3 hives, as I said previously, a gallon per hive every 2 days. I'll feed syrup until they stop taking it or when the heat from the bees is not enough to keep syrup from freezing, usually November. If you want to save your syrup I believe you can add white distilled vinegar, but I forget how much. DO NOT USE Apple Cider Vinegar as it causes digestive problems in the bees. As far as your frames I would leave it for the bees. Our top deep supers are being filled, processed and capped for winter stores and the heft is almost where I feel comfortable, 90 lbs +. I never store capped or open syrup or honey. Bees will use it.

 

[R2elk]

If you want to save your syrup I believe you can add white distilled vinegar,

I tried this and it made no difference at all.

 

[R2elk]

We either need to find another way to feed, or a way to safely store the syrup.

It should keep fine in the refrigerator.

 

[5Australorpasaures]

I tried this and it made no difference at all.

I've never done it myself as there was never a need with syrup not being used up. Just something I ran across on searches.

 

[drstratton]

These are also in full bloom here. I have never seen anything other than ants on the sagebrush.

I need to look and see if they are on the sagebrush. I'm pretty sure I saw them on the Rabbit Brush.

The Rocky Mountain Bee Plant is done bloomiing here. The seed pods are ripening.

Good to know. Thus the picture of the seeds.

 

[Apis mellifera]

So my first question is... what do I do with 2 gallons of 2:1 syrup? Can I store it until spring in the fridge? We'll be putting a super and QE on both hives then. I hate to throw out about 15 pounds of sugar.

If it is 2:1 syrup it can be stored in an airtight container for about 6 months. 1:1 will get moldy quick because of the higher water content. Adding distilled apple cider vinegar or lemon juice can inhibit mold growth for storage. The problem is it's just a guess on how much to add because everyone's water has a different PH. So, if you add 2 tablespoons to a gallon and it still gets moldy quick add 3 the next time and so on until the mold stops growing. Bees can handle acidic syrup since nectar is slightly acidic. I know large beekeepers that add 1 cup of bleach to a 55 gallon drum of 1:1. It doesn't make the syrup acidic, but bleach inhibits mold growth.

My second question: What do we do with frames that are partially capped, or uncapped? I don't have freezer space to store them.

You can extract the honey. Give the uncapped frames a shake, if nectar doesn't splash out it's very unlikely to ferment. You can also store the frames where they are exposed to light and ventilation to deter wax moths or leave them outside a distance away from your hives and let the bees and local pollinators clean them out.

 

[Sally PB]

You can extract the honey. Give the uncapped frames a shake, if nectar doesn't splash out it's very unlikely to ferment.

Thank you, this is very helpful!

Hubby and I talked about doing this over a pan to collect the uncapped stuff, and then leaving it out for the bees.

It seems that everything that was blooming is dying off at the same time. We're still in a warm -- and VERY dry pattern -- but we have a much more seasonal batch of weather coming our way. With some rain, I hope. October is our wettest month, and there are areas in this part of the state that have had ONE INCH of rain since June.