Sad story….Possibly, immediately after this last harvest the whole hive left….sometimes the old queen leaves and the hive has produced a new queen –  but I wasn’t so lucky. When I got back into it a few days later the robber bees were having  a field day. I salvaged some more honey but haven’t squeezed it yet….more on squeezing later.

A nice capped section of honeycomb ready to be cut off the bar.

A nice capped section of honeycomb ready to be cut off the bar.

My XXL gloved hand should give some perspective. I am still looking for XXXL gloves……fat hand, fat fingers and many, many auto-correct errors on my iPhone….that is a subject for another blog.

I am always amazed at how the bees draw comb....almost artistic in form and construction.

I am always amazed at how the bees draw comb….almost artistic in form and construction.

The comb above was not finished so it was shuffled around with the ones that I cut and replaced.

A nice pan full of lovely honey comb. It was a heavy haul.

A nice pan full of lovely honey comb. It was a heavy haul.

The squeezing process over a wire rack to catch the big chunks of wax as it drip through into a roasting pan.

The squeezing process over a wire rack to catch the big chunks of wax as it drips through into a roasting pan.

Pouring off the honey and wax bits into the pail. There is a fine sieve screen that sits on the top of the pail to catch the small stuff.

Pouring off the honey and wax bits into the pail. There is a fine sieve screen that sits on the top of the pail to catch the small stuff.

Temptation....I was behaving but my wife and photographer snatched a few chunks of the delectable honeycomb for her snack. One of our customers refers to the cut honeycomb as addictive.....It really is better than candy!

Temptation….I was behaving but my wife and photographer snatched a few chunks of the delectable honeycomb for her snack. One of our customers refers to the cut honeycomb as addictive…..It really is better than candy!

A hitchhiker from the hive area into the kitchen....This was one of 5 or 6 that we gathered up and escorted out to the backyard.

A hitchhiker from the hive area into the kitchen….This was one of 5 or 6 that we gathered up and escorted out to the backyard.

The second load from the roasting pan off into the pail for straining. The wax is very evident on this shot.

The second load from the roasting pan off into the pail for straining. The wax is very evident on this shot.

Here is a shot of me squeezing the honey from the wax. I would squeeze and compact the was as tight as I could. I then place it out near the hive and the next several days it is wild watching the bees from the neighborhood clean the wax.

Here is a shot of me squeezing the honey from the wax. I would squeeze and compact the was as tight as I could. I then place it out near the hive and the next several days it is wild watching the bees from the neighborhood cleaning the wax.

12 pint jars - 18 pounds of honey and a little over 3 pounds in the white bucket. So danged good.

12 pint jars – 18 pounds of honey and a little over 3 pounds in the white bucket. So danged good.

I think my other empty top bar hive may become  a home for some swarming bees….I put some lemon grass oil in the hive and lots of bees are coming and going. it would be too funny if I recapture my bees!

TTFN

Bishop