Crystalised honey in comb

Donalde

One of my two hives didn't survive the winter, for reasons unknown.
They had a super almost full of honey, which was left untouched, much of which is now crystalised in the comb. Is there any way of extracting this?

Mellifera

Donalde wrote: »

One of my two hives didn't survive the winter, for reasons unknown.
They had a super almost full of honey, which was left untouched, much of which is now crystalised in the comb. Is there any way of extracting this?

You could try putting it in a warm place to soften it out first...If its still fairly solid you could maybe add to a very low oven. If it's ivy honey though I'm not sure if this will work.
You could also keep it and use it as bait in a nuc...the smell alone should be a help.

Doctors room ghost

Is there many swarms going yet.
We have a swarm trap out the last week but nothing yet

Donalde

Thanks Mellifera,
Does anyone know the Temperature range which would 'melt' the honey but not the wax?

Thud

Mellifera wrote: »

You could also keep it and use it as bait in a nuc...the smell alone should be a help.

You’ll have every robbing bee in the area if you do this

Mellifera

Thud wrote: »

You’ll have every robbing bee in the area if you do this

If you can't extract it what good is to you anyway? Let them at it...

Thud

if you are confident the hive didn't fail because of disease you could feed it to your other hive either now or freeze for winter.
if any doubts about disease destroy it.
Don't put it in a bait hive either way.