Cleaning honey extractor

[Hivemaker.]

Saw around 400 extracted honey supers that had been stacked on the side of a field for the bees to clean up a few years ago, but the worse thing was at a honey packers where there were hundreds of 300kg honey barrels, lids on some, lots with no lids, not been washed out, lots of them lying around and lots of them in huge skips, the numbers of bees and wasps around was amazing, thousands of them dead as well, in the pools of residual honey left in the barrels, pleased both places are long long way away from here.

 

[bontbee]

...Honey should never be extracted from diseased colonies...

I believe I am correct in saying that, under license, honey can be extracted from colonies that have foulbrood, even those that have been destroyed because of AFB. The combs are supposed to be destroyed after extraction...

 

[bontbee]

Saw around 400 extracted honey supers that had been stacked on the side of a field for the bees to clean up a few years ago, but the worse thing was at a honey packers where there were hundreds of 300kg honey barrels, lids on some, lots with no lids, not been washed out, lots of them lying around and lots of them in huge skips, the numbers of bees and wasps around was amazing, thousands of them dead as well, in the pools of residual honey left in the barrels, pleased both places are long long way away from here.

Uuurrgh. Were either of those in this country?

 

[Hivemaker.]

Uuurrgh. Were either of those in this country?

Yes, both in this country.

 

[bontbee]

And there I was thinking that the inspectorate were being vindictive, targeting honey packers...

 

[Gilberdyke John]

And there I was thinking that the inspectorate were being vindictive, targeting honey packers...

I wonder what the reaction would be if a beekeeper knocked at their door asking for an impromptu tour of the premises?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

If you know your apiary is clean of disease they why would you attract bees from all colonies within flying distance by open feeding?

Frankly, it looks as if you're trying to justify the unjustifiable by throwing in all sorts of things you think are ridiculous.

 

[pargyle]

For ALL NEW BEEKEEPERS reading this ...

I don't know how many times it has to be said ...

OPEN FEEDING IS A VERY STUPID IDEA - in all circumstances.

If you wash the inside of the extractor, initially, with a smaller amount of clean cold water and dissolve as much of the honey that you can then the residual 'honey water' makes a great basis for mead (you will have to add some more honey to get the SG up but why waste the washings). Alternatively, the washings can be fed back to your bees in a normal rapid feeder or Ashworth feeder on the hive.

 

[BeeJayBee]

I believe I am correct in saying that, under license, honey can be extracted from colonies that have foulbrood, even those that have been destroyed because of AFB. The combs are supposed to be destroyed after extraction...

How can there be any combs to extract from a colony with AFB when the whole lot will have been destroyed by the inspectorate?

http://www.nationalbeeunit.com/index.cfm?sectionid=26

Control of AFB

All infected colonies are destroyed. The first stage is to kill the adult bees by tipping a bit of petrol through the crown board. All combs and any zinc queen excluders from the colony(ies) are then destroyed by burning them in a pit. The rest of the hive(s) and any appliances are sterilised by scorching with a blow lamp or sterilising with appropriate chemicals.​

and

ALL my frames in affected hives.- both brood and honey - were destroyed in last year's AFB outbreak

 

[madasafish]

ALL my frames in affected hives stank of petrol..

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

ALL my frames in affected hives stank of petrol..

could have sold it to the manooky lovers - make a change from creosote

 

[Finman]

.
Washing an extractor with water is really complex issue.

Feeding washing water to bees. Water content 95- 99%.

To make mead and spoil your stomack?

Why dont you just spray with it with garden host and let the water go into ground.
.

 

[Anduril]

.
Washing an extractor with water is really complex issue.

Feeding washing water to bees. Water content 95- 99%.

To make mead and spoil your stomack?

Why dont you just spray with it with garden host and let the water go into ground.
.

What a waste.

 

[wessexmario]

as nobody has mentioned it yet...

when you finish spinning your frames, spin the cage empty a bit to spin any remaining honey off and then get yourself a scraper and scrape the sides down - it's surprising just how much honey can be left in a thin layer over the whole extractor drum - I get a pound or two out of mine.

To give yourself more room to scrape all the honey off, take the cage out.
On my extractor I replaced a couple of nuts with wing nuts to make that a simpler job - you can get food grade stainless steel ones easily enough.

 

[Finman]

as nobody has mentioned it yet...

when you finish spinning your frames, spin the cage empty a bit to spin any remaining honey off and then get yourself a scraper and scrape the sides down - it's surprising just how much honey can be left in a thin layer over the whole extractor drum - I get a pound or two out of mine.

To give yourself more room to scrape all the honey off, take the cage out.
On my extractor I replaced a couple of nuts with wing nuts to make that a simpler job - you can get food grade stainless steel ones easily enough.

Yes, it takes much honey, when the whole process is greased with honey: Uncapping, extraction, sieving, moving. And sometimes on floor...

 

[einsteinagogo]

Yes, it takes much honey, when the whole process is greased with honey: Uncapping, extraction, sieving, moving. And sometimes on floor...

especially if you forget to close the honey gate valve!

I actually pressure wash mine with cold water, and never, never use warm or hot water anywhere near it.

It's actually quite fun the pressure of the water spins the frame cage, it turns into a washing machine!

 

[bontbee]

How can there be any combs to extract from a colony with AFB when the whole lot will have been destroyed by the inspectorate?

http://www.nationalbeeunit.com/index.cfm?sectionid=26

Control of AFB

All infected colonies are destroyed. The first stage is to kill the adult bees by tipping a bit of petrol through the crown board. All combs and any zinc queen excluders from the colony(ies) are then destroyed by burning them in a pit. The rest of the hive(s) and any appliances are sterilised by scorching with a blow lamp or sterilising with appropriate chemicals.​

and

ALL my frames in affected hives stank of petrol..

I'm trying to check this out - the reason I remember is because I was gobsmacked that honey could, under any circumstances, be taken from an AFB hive! I'll post again when I get clarification - unless someone already has the definitive answer

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

I'm trying to check this out - the reason I remember is because I was gobsmacked that honey could, under any circumstances, be taken from an AFB hive! I'll post again when I get clarification - unless someone already has the definitive answer

From what I hear, it doesn't stop our counterparts in China.

Dusty

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

never, never use warm or hot water anywhere near it.

Last season took receipt of the association extractor after being used by Bez's (Dusty's old mucker) hippy touchyfeelyvegematarian crowd. It was a mess anyway but they had tried to sort it out with hot water. Took me a couple of hours to get rid of all the bits of wax welded to every nook and cranny.

 

[bontbee]

I believe I am correct in saying that, under license, honey can be extracted from colonies that have foulbrood, even those that have been destroyed because of AFB. The combs are supposed to be destroyed after extraction...

I have now had confirmation that the above info is correct - the license to extract has to be provided by an authorised bee inspector. The combs are destroyed after extraction.