Archive Special: Removing Honey (292)
About this episode
The episode discusses the challenges and techniques involved in harvesting honey from beehives, featuring insights from Kim Flottum and Dr. Jim Tew.
Removing honey from a hive sounds simple until the supers are full. In this Honey Bee Obscura Archive Special, the late Kim Flottum and Dr. Jim Tew revisit one of the most physically demanding jobs in beekeeping: harvesting honey. They compare their different backyard setups, discuss how they remove bees from honey supers, and explain why careful planning can make the work safer for both the beekeeper and the bees. Kim describes his streamlined approach using eight-frame medium supers, a utility trailer, and an electric leaf blower to clear bees before transporting supers to his garage. Jim, managing more colonies and heavier equipment, shares why he prefers gasoline-powered blowers, heavy protective clothing, plenty of smoke, and equipment positioned within easy lifting distance. The conversation also explores alternatives such as escape boards, bee repellents, and strategies for minimizing drifting bees around neighboring properties. Kim and Jim discuss handling the inevitable bees that accompany harvested supers into the extracting room, and why every beekeeper develops techniques that fit their own operation. As they prepare colonies for late-summer mite treatments and the…
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