Time left for them to cap comb?

[rookie2531]

  Kathyp mentioned something to me on another post and I was thinking about it recently.

I am feeding syrup for them to draw comb, because Im trying to get them to draw at least a full medium of stores on top of there deep brood.
Because I have 3 hives, 2 only have 1 medium on top of there 1 deep brood box. The 3rd has 2 mediums on top of there deep brood. I was hoping to get them to all have 2 mediums on top there deeps, but I see that is probably not going to happen. I was in them yesterday and that 3rd medium is not fully drawn, only 5 frames drawn.

   Now that fall is here, should I stop feeding syrup or just thicken it up some more? I fed them 2 gallons a piece yesterday of 3/2 syrup.
They do have open comb in there that is full of syrup. I should have another month before the first frost.

 How long does it take for the syrup to dry enough before they cap it?

Will they eat uncapped stores first before the capped as the weather starts getting colder but not freezing?

[Vance G]

There is no magic in having it capped.  I would go more by how much the colony weighs in deciding if it is ready for winter. 

[Kathyp]

yes. weight is important.  i believe i said cure, not cap. and didn't you say you were trying to encourage a lot of brood?  lots of times there is uncapped honey.

the problem is when you are feeding spring mix so late, and there is so much moisture in it, that it may cause a problem as winter feed.  that's why we switch to the thicker feed for winter.  it won't ferment even if they don't get it all capped. 

[BeeMaster2]

It is important that the bees cap the honey for winter storage. Uncapped honey absorbs moisture and can ferment in the comb. Capped honey will not.
Jim

[Jim134]

It is important that the bees cap the honey for winter storage. Uncapped honey absorbs moisture and can ferment in the comb. Capped honey will not.
Jim

     This may be true in warm climates not so much in New England in the winter time.  :shock:




                    BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)

[Vance G]

Beekeeping is all local!  I myself am guilty of forgetting that things in the dismal swamp may be very different than here in the high desert.   Honey or sugar water just does not absorb moisture here, they give it up, too much so at times.  I am going to extract my last supers and most of the frames are not capped.  This honey will be dryer than the capped honey I extracted in August. 

It is important that the bees cap the honey for winter storage. Uncapped honey absorbs moisture and can ferment in the comb. Capped honey will not.
Jim

     This may be true in warm climates not so much in New England in the winter time.  :shock:




                    BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)

[BeeMaster2]

Jim and Vance,
Both very true. Here we have mostly 80 to 100% humidity. This year, my bees have had a hard time getting the water content low enough to cap. The last time I went to pull honey, most of it was not capped.
Jim

[Jim134]

 rookie2531

    This is one of the very reasons why I think you should belong to a local beekeeping Association you will have access to a lot more local type information.Then someone has no relative information
like was said before beekeeping is very local !!!!!!

              BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)

[rookie2531]

Jim, I have talked to a couple local beeks.

 One which seems to know a bit, but said he quit when the mites hit him hard and now is just getting back into it. He had 3 hives going into last winter and lost 2 of them, he don't know why. He said he would come over and take a look, back when I couldn't find my queen or larva, but never did show.

 The other guy, I was talking with, I told him My plans of doing a, walk-away-split, and he told me that, queens could not be raised that way, that I would have to wait until spring, when the bees made a swarm cell. He said the only time you can split is after she lays an egg in a swarm cell. I asked him, how long had he been beekeeping and he said, 10 years. He also had 3 hives last fall and lost them all in the winter. He has since caught a swarm and has one now.

I have found a club in my county, but I just don't know if I can trust advise from my local. I know that this is just 2 people, but it does seem like the locals here are, set in there ways, and are unwilling to learn, especially from outside sources. I have learned far more here, not to mention, that if one replies wrong, there will be another person to weigh-in.

[Jim134]

     The next two questions you asked are about anatomy not local weather or floral conditions.
One thing I can say I would follow somebody who can keeping bees alive . With those type of questions you are going to get more difference answers then people answering them.I do hope whatever you do you can make a good educated decision in your beekeeping endeavors.



                  BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)

[rookie2531]

I agree with you on listening to advise from someone who keeps them alive. I found a local group that has meetings once a month and a due of 12.00 a year. I think I will attend next month and see how things go.