Bees ignoring capped honey?
Quote from kenedmonds on April 13, 2018, 11:59 AMI am hanging up frames to get organized and some of the frames have significant amounts of capped honey and or syrup. The bees seem to absolutely ignore anything that is capped. Some of the frames had nectar in the cells along with capped honey. They took all of the nectar and didn't bother the capped honey. If I scratch open some cells, they will clean that up but still ignore the capped. Is that normal behavior?
I am hanging up frames to get organized and some of the frames have significant amounts of capped honey and or syrup. The bees seem to absolutely ignore anything that is capped. Some of the frames had nectar in the cells along with capped honey. They took all of the nectar and didn't bother the capped honey. If I scratch open some cells, they will clean that up but still ignore the capped. Is that normal behavior?
Quote from jacobs on April 13, 2018, 12:08 PMWhat you are seeing is perfectly normal---------for now. Bees prefer nectar and will ignore capped honey in favor of nectar and sugar water "nectar." The stronger the flow, the less attention they will pay to even uncapped honey. When there is a nectar dearth, the bees will show much more interest in the honey, and putting frames out in the open can trigger wide spread robbing in the bee yard.
What you are seeing is perfectly normal---------for now. Bees prefer nectar and will ignore capped honey in favor of nectar and sugar water "nectar." The stronger the flow, the less attention they will pay to even uncapped honey. When there is a nectar dearth, the bees will show much more interest in the honey, and putting frames out in the open can trigger wide spread robbing in the bee yard.
Quote from kenedmonds on April 13, 2018, 12:58 PMThanks, I am not planning on leaving this permanently, just trying to get all of my boxes cleaned up and sorting for what I can use for packages and NUCs that are on order. These frames are stored 100 yards or so away from the hives, I put racks under my carport 20' long and store the frames there. This should reduce issue with wax moths and helps to keep me organized.
Thanks, I am not planning on leaving this permanently, just trying to get all of my boxes cleaned up and sorting for what I can use for packages and NUCs that are on order. These frames are stored 100 yards or so away from the hives, I put racks under my carport 20' long and store the frames there. This should reduce issue with wax moths and helps to keep me organized.