Bee Talk: Solving Everyday Hive Problems
Specks in My Honey
Q. When I extracted honey this year it had little specks in it. What is that and what can I do about it?
A. When we extract honey, it’s common to get more than just honey, including bee parts, pollen, or even dirt. If the specks are evenly distributed, they’re likely dirt particles from the equipment or frames. Strain your honey through a 600-micron filter. If more cleaning is needed, step down to finer filters (400- then 200- micron). This will remove the debris, but it will also take out some (or all) of the pollen. Personally, I’d rather lose a little pollen than leave the dirt.
Treating with a Super On
Q. I need to treat for Varroa mites, but I still have a super on my hive. I was planning to leave it for the bees. Is that honey OK for them to eat if it’s been in there during treatment?
A. Yes, your bees can consume capped honey left on during Varroa treatment. Just be sure to mark those frames so they don’t get mixed back in with honey you plan to extract for yourself.
Unwanted Medium Brood Box
Q. I ended up with a medium as my second brood box and want to switch to a deep. How do I make the change?
A. Shake the bees off each medium frame into the bottom deep box. Then place a queen excluder between the bottom deep and the medium box. Within a couple of weeks the brood in the medium will emerge, and you can remove it. The challenge is that you’ll now be down to one brood box. If you still need a second, have drawn deep comb ready to go. This isn’t the season to start from scratch—if you don’t have drawn comb, wait until early spring to make the switch.
Crazy Comb
Q. I left a frame out of my top box and now there’s a bunch of crazy comb. Should I keep it or toss it?
A. You’re not the first—most of us have done this! If it’s brood comb, you can cut it to fit into a frame and secure it with rubber bands or wire. The bees will attach it quickly. If it’s honey or pollen, it’s often incomplete. In that case, remove it and then discard it, save it for melting down, or replace it with a new frame.
Failing Split
Q. I made my first split this year, but it’s still not filling a box. I’m worried it won’t make it through winter. Should I add bees or just combine it with another hive?
A. Either option works right now, but later in the season combining is your only choice. In September, you can still donate brood and bees from a stronger colony. Try adding a frame of capped brood (close to emerging) and one with a mix of open and capped brood—plus the bees on it. Smoke the donor hive, then shake those bees off at the entrance of the weak hive and let them walk in. They’ll be accepted more easily this way. Once the capped brood emerges, it may give the colony the boost it needs. If there’s no improvement after a few weeks, cut your losses and combine it with another hive.