Between the showers, the sun is very strong and the the sycamores are alive with bees. One of the good things about sycamore flowers is that they hang down beneath the leaves in the shelter of the canopy so showers don’t really harm them. However, gusty squalls will tear off the flowering panicles – lovely.
The forecast for the next few days is good, so with the trees in full bloom there is a good chance of a few pounds of honey.
If you have old brood frames it is always a good idea to fumigate them before using them again to kill Nosema spores and wax moth. However, be sure they don’t come from a hive where the bees died of AFB. If you aren’t sure, or if frames contain patches of old sealed brood it’s probably best to burn them.
If the wax is old and very black it is best to strip these frames down and add fresh foundation in the spring – you’ll seldom find AFB in nice clean frames. Continue reading Acetic Acid Fumigation→
I used to think that homemade soap would be a great way to use up some of that beeswax mountain. That is until I started to look into the subject and it turns out to be a bit more complicated than I thought.
For a start there’s the matter of CAUSTIC SODA. Note the capital letters there; those are there as a mark of Respect. When using Caustic Soda, be on your Toes because it is a VERY NASTY chemical indeed. Wear gloves, don’t spill it and don’t blame me if you do. Continue reading Beeswax Soap Recipe→
Here is a recipe for lip balm – it won’t help much with the beeswax mountain but if your lips are in tatters this is the stuff for you. If not, well it does have tatter-prevention properties if you smear some on before you go out in the elements. At the very least it will give you a nice glossy pout. Continue reading Lip Balm Recipe→
Flyaway hair? Try this recipe I found this morning. It takes minutes to prepare and will hold the most stubborn hair in place.
Ingredients
15 grams grated beeswax
4 teaspoons coconut oil
Method
melt the beeswax in a glass jar or bowl over a pan of hot water;
when melted – add the coconut oil;
when that too has melted – stir well and pour into a shallow jar;
If you want to add fragrance – cool slightly and stir it in just before bottling.
To use, scrape a little out with a teaspoon – or a fingernail if you’ve got one of those long curved ones. Spread it out over your fingertips then rub it through your mad hair.
PS If you don’t like the consistency you can always melt it down and add more beeswax or coconut or fry an egg in it.
