Hives wedged with ivy honey

[Torq]

Hi Guys,
over here in Ireland we are doing our first inspections and finding hives packed to the brim with ivy honey, in some cases up to 6 full brood frames leaving very little space for the queens to lay. Are you guys across the water seeing the same?
Torq

 

[Plenty of honey]

Hi Guys,
over here in Ireland we are doing our first inspections and finding hives packed to the brim with ivy honey, in some cases up to 6 full brood frames leaving very little space for the queens to lay. Are you guys across the water seeing the same?
Torq

A few of our hives have, we do remove a lot of it, then scrape the surface of one of the frames (decap it) then insert it in the next frame nearest the brood nest, (but obviously, not actually touching the brood nest.) The frame outside of this is just foundation. They will clear out the ivy honey in no time, building out the foundation on the two outer frames too! its a great feed, and gets softer this time of year, just when bees need it!

 

[Swarm]

The bees did well with Ivy last year.

 

[Eyeman]

Ivy is usually mixed with late Balsam so not a problem.
Hope it's the same this year when I do my first inspection

 

[oliver90owner]

So they have not used a lot during the winter? Or has fondant been fed. Brooding will soon use up stores. I have often needed to replace stores frames with empty frames in spring (14 x 12 frames).

 

[Torq]

So they have not used a lot during the winter? Or has fondant been fed. Brooding will soon use up stores. I have often needed to replace stores frames with empty frames in spring (14 x 12 frames).

Fondant given to two, in January but not to the other pair. All are bursting with ivy. One that I didn't feed has 5 frames of the stuff. It's widespread across the country. If only there was a market for the stuff!

 

[Finman]

.
Not good idea to feed fondant if the hive is half full food.
.

 

[Parsonage Bees]

(New beekeeper here)
How do I tell that it's ivy honey? Different colour? Is it solid when you scrape the cappings?
. .. . Ben

 

[Tonyatcwfarm]

First run through of the back garden hives this morning,removed 4 full to bursting supers and 10 brood frames of ivy stores
This was from a dwindling colony Q- from winter i expect and the rest from 3 other hives,2 were on brood and a half with naidered super and one as B and 1/2
Iv left plenty with them but just freed up some space for laying
Didnt feed last year and even took one super of capped ivy from one colony last oct

 

[Stiffy]

(New beekeeper here)
How do I tell that it's ivy honey? Different colour? Is it solid when you scrape the cappings?
. .. . Ben

You have it correct, its fairly solid when you scrape it and can have a medicated smell. Others have had problems but I have rarely had problems with stored ivy honey as bees seem to deal with it okay early spring when building up.
S

 

[Millet]

I found this from 2015, how do they manage to extract it if it sets solid.

http://www.quincehoneyfarm.co.uk/limited-edition-ivy-honey-now-available/

 

[Stiffy]

I found this from 2015, how do they manage to extract it if it sets solid.

http://www.quincehoneyfarm.co.uk/limited-edition-ivy-honey-now-available/

Easy, like OSR get it off before it sets. I like to leave for bees, it also saves some feed. I know some like it but to me it has a dreadful taste
S