# Best way to feed back cutout honey?



## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

I open feed the honey back to the bees about 50 yards away from the hives. Combs will get a little moldy. Your best bet is to store them in the supers, on their side so light and fresh air can penetrate them.


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## Ronnie Elliott (Mar 24, 2004)

Don't open feed, every beehive within two miles will come to the open feast, and fight & losers will die. Don't worry about the dripping honey mess. Banjo frames using rubber bands, then freeze the rest until the bees have cleaned it up. Put robber screens over front openings first!


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## dsegrest (May 15, 2014)

Sometimes honey has disease spores. They don't hurt people. They can infect bees.


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## Tenbears (May 15, 2012)

Honey is antiseptic. very little danger involved.


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## larryh (Jul 28, 2014)

Diametrically opposed.  just like my thoughts..

So, do robber screens really work? It would be devastating to send one of my little hives to meet Mr. Mayhem. 

On the other hand_ Why is my putting capped honey in the hive any different than the bees having their own nector and honey in the hive..? Is it because of the cut out messiness??


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

I guess I need to clarify. During a dearth I wouldn't open feed. THAT would cause mayhem. 
During a flow I have open fed my bees the cutout honey/cappings and maybe... maybe had a couple of dozen dead bees over the past three years. The last time I fed, two weeks ago, I had like 5 dead bees. Very little fighting anywhere. Just my experience.
But what do I know, right? lol


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## bevy's honeybees (Apr 21, 2011)

To give you another option: 
I place small amounts in shallow Tupperware like container (no more than one lb depending on hive population), remove hive lid, put on top of frames and add an empty medium box and then hive lid. I have also done the same with an inner cover that has opening in the middle then container on top where it doesn't block opening, empty medium box, lid. I do it at sunset if in dearth time and it's usually cleaned up by morning. Not as quickly cleaned during flow. I typically have about 4 hives in my backyard and do this to all of them at the same time. Doesn't take long to cycle through and get all the cut out comb cleaned up. Keep an eye on it so you don't get comb building off the lid. I have done this many times (and wax cappings from extracting) without any problems.


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## Ronnie Elliott (Mar 24, 2004)

Bevy; what a good idea, better than banjo frames that I mentioned. I forgot the banjo was the brood. Been a few years without bees, glad to have them in my life again


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