Why aren't they capping the honey?

[tlynn]

I put the first super on my first hive 4 weeks ago and the second 2 weeks ago.  The first super is almost all drawn out and comb seems basically full of nectar, but they have only capped maybe 25% of the frames, kind of in an arc from the top.  The second super is maybe 3/4 drawn out and is being filled from the centers out mostly.  They seem to be building more completely on this one.  I put a coat of wax on the foundation.  I'm just wondering, why are they leaving full cells (I think) uncapped?  Also is this normal speed of production based on a residential location in Central Florida this time of year?  I guess that's a question best posed at the local club meeting.

Oh, and when I pulled out a frame from the brood box (all capped honey) they had made some burr comb on the adjacent frame and it scraped a big trough on the one my wife was pulling out to show our 12 year old neighbor.  How do I keep them from building it like that? It was kind of made a mess.  On the upside we got the first taste of our honey as it was dripping off the frame.  WOW!  Nothing like I have ever tasted.  Can't wait to extract.

Thanks!

Tracy

[Eshu]

The honey probably doesn't have a low enough water content yet.  They will cap it when it is fully cured.

Make sure your frames are pushed together to avoid the brace comb in your brood box. They tend to build the brace comb when bee space is violated between the frames.

[derrick1p1]

Just a thought, make sure they have plenty of ventilation.  I've read this can help with evaporation/capping of the honey.  I'm in the same boat as you, several frames of uncapped honey.  Our major nectar flow has ended here, which is probably part of the reason they haven't capped yet, they aren't completely full.

[Dane Bramage]

I put the first super on my first hive 4 weeks ago and the second 2 weeks ago.  The first super is almost all drawn out and comb seems basically full of nectar, but they have only capped maybe 25% of the frames, kind of in an arc from the top. 

Just a guess on the first supers - if it's capped in an arc pattern could be there was brood in the center previously?  I'm guessing no queen excluder and possibly a little late getting the super on (was the brood chamber full)?  If my guess is right what could have happened is that the queen moved up into the super and deposited eggs.  They then were moved and this center honey is nectar back-fill and behind schedule compared to the rest.  That happened with one of my colonies.

[KONASDAD]

be patient. they will cap it when its honey and not one minute sooner.

[tlynn]

I put the first super on my first hive 4 weeks ago and the second 2 weeks ago.  The first super is almost all drawn out and comb seems basically full of nectar, but they have only capped maybe 25% of the frames, kind of in an arc from the top. 

Just a guess on the first supers - if it's capped in an arc pattern could be there was brood in the center previously?  I'm guessing no queen excluder and possibly a little late getting the super on (was the brood chamber full)?  If my guess is right what could have happened is that the queen moved up into the super and deposited eggs.  They then were moved and this center honey is nectar back-fill and behind schedule compared to the rest.  That happened with one of my colonies.

No, I have a queen excluder in place and it's a new super.  Brood chamber definitely was full, with the exception of one side of an outside frame.  They haven't touched it at all.  I moved it inward yesterday.  Population wise they were really busting out of the hive when I put on the first super.  On my first inspection of the brood box they were solid on top of the frames and spilling over the sides of the hive as soon as I opened it (my first hive which I bought complete). And I sort of thought there wouldn't be so many bees on the porch after they got that extra real estate, but they still cover the front of the hive every night.  Course they are in the sun most of the day and it's Florida in the summer. 

One thing I was told from local beekeepers is the honey they are making right now is mostly cabbage palm, which apparently has nectar with a high water content.  So the comment about proper moisture content may be especially true here...just a little impatient I guess!  Thanks for the feedback everyone!