Years ago, square sections of comb honey in fragrant basswood boxes were everywhere. I adored the honey, the boxes, the pristine little combs. But as the years rolled by, the square sections disappeared and were replaced by extracted honey in bottles that squeeze like ketchup and jars shaped like preadolescent bears. I never quite understood […] Read more
You asked about Ross Rounds, so after years of avoiding them, I broke down and ordered a complete super three years ago. Until then I avoided them because I hate plastic. I’m not fond of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, plasticizers in my food, or wispy sacks that defy time itself. But alas, in the […] Read more
The glass jar comb honey super shown below is a refinement of the one made by beekeeper Morris Ostrofsky of southwestern Oregon. A detailed description of Morris’ equipment and process can be found here: Glass Jar Beekeeping—Creating Edible Art. After reading his account, I decided to make several tweaks to fit my own situation. The […] Read more
Right now in the US there are two comb honey systems that include embossed plastic foundation in a plastic tray. You put these plastic trays in a honey super and the bees build their comb right on the base of it. Once filled, the beekeeper only needs to add a lid and a label. Previously […] Read more
Many comb honey producers use smoke sparingly and some forgo it altogether. In Honey in the Comb, Killion notes that “Heavy smoking may cause soot particles to adhere to the surface of freshly capped comb.” Heavily smoked bees may also rip open capped cells in order to scarf down honey reserves quickly. I’ve seen smoked […] Read more
Before I get down to the details of each type of comb honey super, I want to discuss Varroa mites. In Honey in the Comb, Eugene Killion does not write a single word about these irksome creatures. This was not an oversight. In fact, the book was published in 1981, six years before Varroa appeared […] Read more
For many years, Honey in the Comb by Eugene E. Killion was considered the bible of comb honey production. On the flyleaf is a photo of a single brood box topped with eleven section honey supers. The caption states that the hive eventually held fourteen section supers and earned a world record for section honey […] Read more