Honey Comb
Lexikon
A comb from the honey super that contains ripe honey.
A comb from the honey super that contains ripe honey. Honey is ripe once the bees have lowered its water content far enough and capped the cells with wax. The Honey Regulation permits at most 20 percent water; for 'Real German Honey' the German Beekeepers' Association requires less than 18 percent.
Only then is it harvested, otherwise the honey ferments. The rule of thumb is: at least two thirds of the comb capped, and the shake test producing no flying droplets. Only the refractometer gives certainty, though: with strong temperature fluctuations, honey that is still too moist can sit behind the wax cappings even so.
Honey combs are not used for brood and therefore stay pale. They are placed above the queen excluder so that the queen cannot lay in them.
Sources (5)
- Honigverordnung, Anlage 2 (Wassergehalt höchstens 20 Prozent, Ausnahmen für Heidehonig und Backhonig)
- Deutscher Imkerbund: Qualitätsrichtlinien für Echten Deutschen Honig (unter 18 Prozent Wasser)
- Die Honigmacher: Die Honigernte (Honigwaben mindestens zu zwei Dritteln verdeckelt, Spritzprobe)
- Bayerische Landesanstalt für Weinbau und Gartenbau, Fachzentrum Bienen: Honigernte (Honig ist reif, wenn ihn die Bienen verdeckelt haben)
- Bayerische Landesanstalt für Weinbau und Gartenbau, Fachzentrum Bienen: Honigkurs (verdeckelte Zellen können bei Temperaturschwankungen dennoch feucht sein, Refraktometer)