Spinning out the honey-Fall 2016

The Lab Bees have had a great summer and have filled many frames with honey comb that is chock full of the pale honey they produce. The bees fill the individual cells of the honeycomb and then put a wax cap on the top to keep them from dripping out.

Dr. Calleri removed two layers of the hive recently and is now in the process of extracting the honey from the comb.

First he has to remove the wax caps.

Then he places the frames in a large spinner to use centrifugal force to pull the honey out of the comb.

Here are some links to a few videos that will let you all see how the process works.

Using the heated knife

Spinning!

Empty Frame

Honey from the tap! Yum!

Trouble in the hive...

This week Mr. Maharry and his 5th grade class were out working in the garden and he noticed some trouble in the hive we call Zeta. This hive survived the winter and has been reduced in number since getting back to work. Mr. Maharry noticed a large number of males hanging around the entrance to the hive. Hives naturally produce males, but generally not until June - when the weather is warm enough to fly high into the air and find a mate. They are about 3 to 4mm longer than female workers and a bit wider too. Their most striking feature is their eyes. Their heads look like one big eye. This is how they find females on the wing.

 A lone male.

Here's a group of males around the entrance.

This picture a small group of 4 bees at the entrance. The two facing each other are female on the left and a male on the right. You can see the size difference and the eyes as well.

Upon closer inspection the hive has some odd brood pattern and might be producing queens too. Hopefully the hive can get itself back on track soon.

New Bees moved in today!

 The new bees arrived in their screened box with the workers surrounding the queen...

 Who is contained in a tiny cell so that she is easily located.

 The cork confining her is replaced with a marshmallow that the workers will eat so they can get to her. Her cell is placed in the new hive so that her workers will follow her and move in. They are also given sugar water so that they will not have to leave the hive to feed.

 The roof is placed on and..... voila! The bees are in their new home.