> Allen Dick wrote:
>
> > Abandonment (Tipping)
> >
> > The abandonment method also leaves the burr comb free of dripping
> > honey, and having a  blower allows one to take the boxes within
> > the hour in case robbing is likely, or an extra trip would be
> > required.
>
> Hi Allen,
>
> Can you please explain about the Tipping. Not shure I know what you
> mean.
>
> Thank's
 
 
Tipping is a method of removing honey without using chemicals,
blowers, brushes, etc.
 
It is the most elegant solution, but requires at least  advanced or
master level bee knowledge to succeed consistently without
complications.
 
Here's how:
 
1. Choose  a day when temperatures are  sufficient for free bee
flight,  and a good flow has been on for several days.
 
2. Remove  full or partly full supers -- preferrably with no brood,
and preferrably from above an excluder.
 
3. Place each one  _on end_  either on the ground to one side near
the entrance of the hive from which it was removed, or on top of a
hive nearby that has it's lid on normally.  (Perhaps that latter hive
has just had its honey removed and a super added).   Do not block
flight paths.
 
4. Shortly the bees should finish their tasks, clean up any drips from
burr comb, and fly out.  They will then fly into the hive from which
they came.  This may take minutes or it may take hours, depending on
the intensity of bee and flight activity.
 
5. Pick up the supers and take them away.  You are done.
 
Problems:
 
Weather changes fast, and so do bees.  Bees that were happy at one
moment, may turn to heavy robbing, resulting in (total) loss of the
honey and serious  stinging of passersby.
 
Queens, if excluders are not used, may be in the super(s) of some
hives.  Careful blowing, brushing or shaking toward the correct hive
is then required, as the bees may not leave by themselves.  Brood in
supers will have the same effect.
 
Backing out
 
In the worst case, the supers may simply be lifted back on the hive
from which they came, and an attempt may be made again later.
 
With our experience, we are able to leave boxes tipped -- sometimes for
days -- without incident, if the truck does not have a chance to return
due to breakdown or some other cause.  But then we do know exactly
what we are doing, ands seldom have a problem.  There are only a few
weeks a year that we can get away with such 'careless' behaviour.
 
Rain or dust storm can be a problem, however the honey is largely
protected from rain because the boxes are on end.
 
Questions welcome.
 
Regards
 
Allen
 
W. Allen Dick, Beekeeper                                         VE6CFK
RR#1, Swalwell, Alberta  Canada T0M 1Y0
Internet:[log in to unmask] & [log in to unmask]
Honey. Bees, & Art <http://www.internode.net/~allend/>