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Colin & Jan

Joined: 03 Mar 2006
Posts: 203
Location: Dover, Kent

Posted: Sun Mar 06, 11 5:30 pm Post subject: Moved
Just moved 3 hives to be closer to 200 acres of rape. Taped the entrances and a nice gentle journey 4 miles up the road. They were not amused and told us about it when the tape came off!! Colin

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42207
Location: North Devon

Posted: Sun Mar 06, 11 5:45 pm Post subject:
My impression was that most beekeepers tried to avoid rape if possible? Or does honey from it have its uses?

jamanda
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 35056
Location: Devon

Posted: Sun Mar 06, 11 5:50 pm Post subject:
Some people like it. You get a lot of it. It's quite crystalline.

Tavascarow

Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall

Posted: Sun Mar 06, 11 6:03 pm Post subject:

sean wrote:

My impression was that most beekeepers tried to avoid rape if possible? Or does honey from it have its uses?

Depends whether you believe the chemicals they put on the seed is poison to bees or not.
Even if I thought not, I'm still no fan.
Very fast crystallising, very coarse crystalline structure unless creamed.
& I don't think bees evolved to feed on monocultures.
IMHO the only things in it's benefit is the quantity of honey you can get & the fact the fields are bright yellow which lets me know if it's straying close to my bees.

Colin & Jan

Joined: 03 Mar 2006
Posts: 203
Location: Dover, Kent

Posted: Sun Mar 06, 11 8:00 pm Post subject:
You either love rape honey or hate it; however the bees seem to be fairly keen on rape. I would say they are like adolescents on strong lager; up for a fight if you get too close. We tend to leave them well alone until the rape has finished as they are very fizzy. Colin

Pel

Joined: 29 Mar 2008
Posts: 2366
Location: Sennybridge

Posted: Tue Mar 08, 11 6:37 pm Post subject:
I thought with rape you had to go in every few days to extract the honey off as it set quickly? and replace with new foundation.

Colin & Jan

Joined: 03 Mar 2006
Posts: 203
Location: Dover, Kent

Posted: Wed Mar 09, 11 7:40 am Post subject:
Luckily we have a melting tank, which takes 20 frames. Turn it on everything melts; draw the honey off the bottom through a valve. Wait for the wax to set and lift out. Colin

oliver90owner

Joined: 11 Jul 2009
Posts: 85

Posted: Wed Mar 09, 11 3:29 pm Post subject:
That is not the way to treat honey. Wax does not melt until around 62 degrees Celsius. When wax is melted the temperature is far too high for honey. Honey should not be heated above 50 degrees Celsius as a rule of thumb. RAB

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