Permission to use matchsticks?!

I took the supers off my best colony when I saw the lime budding about three weeks ago and the result is a huge tower of what might be lime nectar (for which I share enrico's passion), none of it capped. I want to get it capped asap to protect it "at the back end". I'm struggling generally to get stuff capped (hence the huge towers, which I suppose might then become part of the problem) and I wonder if I have the right setup, which is OMF, entrance blocks out, sealed and insulated at the top. Would "cracking a window" with matchsticks for a couple of weeks help them clear some of the water vapour? I would be prepared to sacrifice some yield in favour of purity.

What do the experienced beeks say?

I'd say that midsummer is about the only time when top ventilation might make any sense.

The forum's scorn is regularly directed at those advocating deliberate top ventilation through the winter.

When there's a heavy flow on bees will leave the non essential task of capping until they are less busy - you'll just have to wait.

jenkinsbrynmair said:

When there's a heavy flow on bees will leave the non essential task of capping until they are less busy - you'll just have to wait.

Click to expand...

agree, some of my uncapped OSR was 16% and all uncapped OSR was below 19%

what makes you think that letting water vapour out the top is going to help?
that water vapour is valuable energy. its condensation inside the hive releases that energy back to the bees

Matchsticks?

Now what do you think the bees will do?

Got it yet?
I
I
l
l
l
l
l
They will nicely propolise the gap. Just do it and experience them goo up your crownboard.

The only reason they don't propolise it in winter is because the unthinking beekeeper imposes the top draughts after the bees are past the stage of propolising their home to make it safe and sound for them. A bit like opening the children's bedroom window after they have gone to sleep, so all they can do is try to snuggle under the blankets to keep warm.

Yes ... Listen to the science ... I still have 50mm of Kingspan above the crown board in a empty super on top of my Paynes poly hives ... every little helps. Buzzing away like a chainsaw when I went round to check about five minutes ago !

.
Trying has 2000 writings in forum, and now he ask how he should dry up the nectar when bees do not know how to do it.
Experienced beekeeper says: What heck are doing!!!

You took supers off full of nectar. Are you yourself trying to cap the cells?

How many boxes the huge tower is?..... I cannot believe your story. You are just joking.

The nectar will ne dried up in the heat of the hive. Not adding air circulation in the and messing bees heat control.

You are struggling..... Bees do it, not you. You do not even know how to do it.

Sacrifice some yield for purity..... What!


We had in Finland similar system when bees brought nectar from raspberry. Balance hives' weight jumped 40 kg in one week. Best days were 10 kg.

Doupld

derekm said:

what makes you think that letting water vapour out the top is going to help?
that water vapour is valuable energy. its condensation inside the hive releases that energy back to the bees

Click to expand...

Now science has lost its mind.

The hive is hot, 36C in brood space. Bees ventilate moist hot air outside and and take in cooler air which capture moisture from nectar. Relative moisture does its job and dry up the nectar.

. Then is Hell is in question if condensation happens in the hive during summer.

If a hive brings nectar 10 litre/day , many litres water must be heated off from hive. That really does not happen with condensation system.

Perhaps they don't want to cap it, they might have something else up their sleeves, bees will evaporate in the evenings and often heard if close to a hive.

Finman said:

Now science has lost its mind.

The hive is hot, 36C in brood space. Bees ventilate moist hot air outside and and take in cooler air which capture moisture from nectar. Relative moisture does its job and dry up the nectar.

. Then is Hell is in question if condensation happens in the hive during summer.

If a hive brings nectar 10 litre/day , many litres water must be heated off from hive. That really does not happen with condensation system.

Click to expand...

if the walls are below the dew point temperature then condensation occurs and the walls heat up

derekm said:

if the walls are below the dew point temperature then condensation occurs and the walls heat up

Click to expand...

If, but they are not. Look at hive walls, are they wet and is the any water pool under the hive?

There should be drill several litres water every day. Have you seen?

What is matter with English native bees, when they are not able to dry up nectar?

Patience..... No, a little bit basic knowledge what bees use to do.


.

jenkinsbrynmair said:

When there's a heavy flow on bees will leave the non essential task of capping until they are less busy - you'll just have to wait.

Click to expand...

REDWOOD said:

Perhaps they don't want to cap it, they might have something else up their sleeves, bees will evaporate in the evenings and often heard if close to a hive.

Click to expand...

A few weeks ago an experienced beekeeper told me that, because of the lousy weather (here in Aberdeenshire) the bees don't cap the nectar because they might need to use it when confined to the hive. They're not going to create work for themselves unnecessarily.

Finman said:

.

Trying has 2000 writings in forum, and now he ask how he should dry up the nectar when bees do not know how to do it.

Experienced beekeeper says: What heck are doing!!!



You took supers off full of nectar. Are you yourself trying to cap the cells?



How many boxes the huge tower is?..... I cannot believe your story. You are just joking.

Click to expand...

Thanks everyone: JBM the idea that I just have to wait is interesting.

Finman: the supers are on another hive, not under my hairdryer.

The tower is: duple National brood, QE (sorry...) 3 deeps (they've taken one a wek since I took the others off), upper Demaree brood box now mostly nectar.

No there is no puddle of condensation.

2000 posts; what can I say: I have problems.

On balance, no matchsticks for me.

Madge said:

A few weeks ago an experienced beekeeper told me that, because of the lousy weather (here in Aberdeenshire) the bees don't cap the nectar because they might need to use it when confined to the hive. They're not going to create work for themselves unnecessarily.

Click to expand...

That is rubbish. Good heavens.

Bees cap the honey when it has ripened. If the nectar layer is thick, moisture moves away slowly. It may take 2 weeks to dry up the stuff.


If cells are not full, bees do not cap the cells.

It is 7. July and guys are panicing that bees do not cap the honey.

.

TryingToLetThemBee said:

The tower is: duple National brood, QE (sorry...) 3 deeps (they've taken one a wek since I took the others off), upper Demaree brood box now mostly nectar.
.

Click to expand...

5 deep box hive. That is normal size good hive. Nothing special in it.

Demaree box.... I wonder what is that?

TryingToLetThemBee said:

Thanks everyone: JBM the idea that I just have to wait is interesting.

.

Click to expand...

It is only what you can do.

But if you want go ruin your valuable yield, continue your trials.

3 deep uncapped is perhaps 1.5-2 boxes capped honey. 40-50 kg?
In good flow hives makes that yield in one week, and there is nothing strange in it. Your just take care that bees have enough room to store new nectar. Otherwise they stop working and make clusters on outer walls. It good too to give foundations to be drawn.

Finman said:

That is rubbish. Good heavens.

Bees cap the honey when it has ripened. ...

If cells are not full, bees do not cap the cells.

It is 7. July and guys are panicing that bees do not cap the honey.

Click to expand...

I said, 'a few weeks ago' - not today (and nobody is panicking).

I think it's perfectly feasible that the bees will decide when to cap the honey. The fact that it's ready to be capped might not be the only criterion.

Posted at 12.52am

pargyle;489778 Buzzing away like a chainsaw when I went round to check about five minutes ago [/quote said:

It's not just me then

Click to expand...