Frank,

If you have had any medications on your hives, you should not extract
and use the honey from the boxes that have been medicated. For some
medications, this is illegal -- for none is it advisable. This is
especially true if you have used any of the organophosphates, such
as coumophos. There will be residue in the wax of the brood chambers,
which leaches out into the honey over time. And the cappings you
obtained from the brood chamber would also be contaminated.

-K

-----Original Message-----
From: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Frank I. Reiter
Sent: Tuesday, July 17, 2001 11:39 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Shallow brood chambers?
...
That top brood chamber is exclusively honey in at least one of my hives.  An
old timer around here pointed out to me the other day that this honey is
worth a lot more than the syrup it would take to replace it.  If I were to
extract it at the end of August, and then feed syrup via a top feeder to
allow them to restock it, how long is it likely to take a strong colony to
refill a deep super with honey in this way?  Would the honey they pack away
like this be in any way inferior for getting them through the winter?