Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => HONEYBEE REMOVAL => Topic started by: JP on August 27, 2011, 12:18:40 am

Title: Comb As Dark As Tar Paper!
Post by: JP on August 27, 2011, 12:18:40 am

I did a cut out this evening of a hive living in a wall of a broke down piece of junk shed. They were relatively nice but I did have a few moody ones that popped me, altogether about five stings worth.

They had a good bit of honey that was ok but really dark comb, in fact some that was as dark as the tar paper it was attached to.

I brought my camera but put the wrong type of card in, one meant for picture taking. The camera warned me that it may not be able to video with this card, how bout that for technology. Well it was right, camera kept shutting off when I tried to video so I just took pictures.


...JP

http://img841.imageshack.us/slideshow/webplayer.php?id=img1987d.jpg (http://img841.imageshack.us/slideshow/webplayer.php?id=img1987d.jpg)

Title: Re: Comb As Dark As Tar Paper!
Post by: Kathyp on August 27, 2011, 12:30:13 am

even the cappings look kind of grayish.  is that accurate or the lighting?  odd color.

Title: Re: Comb As Dark As Tar Paper!
Post by: annette on August 27, 2011, 12:44:13 am

I was thinking the same thing about the cappings.

Thanks JP for Sharing this.

Annette

Title: Re: Comb As Dark As Tar Paper!
Post by: JP on August 27, 2011, 09:15:16 am

What you gals are looking at is capped honey. The capped brood in the pictures is yellowish brown in color. You can see both here: (http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/8690/img1997p.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/225/img1997p.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)


...JP

Title: Re: Comb As Dark As Tar Paper!
Post by: uglyfrozenfish on August 27, 2011, 09:17:16 am

JP I have encountered deeps full of comb that color this past spring when I started taking care of my feral colony.  They had been there for 10 plus years without being messed with and all their honey storage was in comb the same color as what you showed.  There brood comb wsa also just as dark.  Nice pics and thanks for sharing.

Lee

Title: Re: Comb As Dark As Tar Paper!
Post by: JP on August 27, 2011, 09:20:09 am

No problem Lee! Thanks for the feedback.


...JP

Title: Re: Comb As Dark As Tar Paper!
Post by: montauk170 on August 27, 2011, 11:29:00 am

Good photos and man, those are dark!

I did a removal a few weeks back where the bees had to travel up some tar paper before reaching the combs. It was a swarm that moved in just a month ago. New comb wasnt so white. These combs weren't as dark as yours but it was obvious the bees were trailing the black stuff from the tar paper. I'll be swapping out these "tar papered" combs coming Spring.

Title: Re: Comb As Dark As Tar Paper!
Post by: Tommyt on August 29, 2011, 07:45:55 am

More good Pictures
thats the type honey I couldn't bring myself to eat
Thanks for the Pic's

Tommyt

Title: Re: Comb As Dark As Tar Paper!
Post by: JP on August 29, 2011, 09:41:43 am

Its the kind I prefer to let the bees have.  :-D


...JP

Title: Re: Comb As Dark As Tar Paper!
Post by: TwT on August 29, 2011, 10:32:47 am

I have done a few cut out that I have seen this kind of comb, its just older honey they haven't eat yet, I would eat it, probably some good honey.

Title: Re: Comb As Dark As Tar Paper!
Post by: JP on August 29, 2011, 12:39:43 pm

Some people prefer honey from dark comb. I've had some that was very good. This honey was fair.


...JP