Volume 2, Number 5, May, 1984

Copyright ©1984 M.T. Sanford "All Rights Reserved"

In this issue:

Reducing Moisture in Honey--CCC Rules
EDB Found in Honey--Wax Moth Control

REDUCING MOISTURE IN HONEY

Any time hard and fast rules are made for a natural product like honey, there will invariably be exceptions. However, because it is forced to store honey for long periods, the CCC will probably be obdurate on the issue of high moisture content. The Florida producer, therefore, must begin to think about possibilites of reducing excess moisture, sure to be found in some honey if he/she plans to use the CCC loan program. That produced from palmetto and palm nectars, for example, is generally very high in moisture. One solution is to blend high and low moisture honey. It was also suggested at the Honey Advisory meeting to pass warm air over open barrels, however, only a little surface area is available for evaporation.

The best method to dehydrate honey is the way the bees do, by placing it while still in the comb in a warm room and then passing warm air over it. This increases the surface area of honey exposed to the air to a maximum. Contrary to what is often heard, the cappings are quite permeable to moisture. The most efficient way to rid honey of excess moisture is to bring cool air, which potentially has less moisture than air at room temperature, into a dehydration room and warm it, then force it through stacked supers, and finally exhaust it outside the room. Any variation will do the trick, but will probably take longer depending on conditions. Using this method, one might expect to remove from one to several percentage points of moisture in a twenty-four-hour period. It is emphasized that the air should only be warmed to about 95 degreees F, any warmer and the comb might weaken, leading to collapse and a potentially disastrous mess.

EDB FOUND IN HONEY--WAX MOTH CONTROL

By now most beekeepers are probably aware that Florida became the first state to remove honey from grocers shelves found to contain more than 30 parts per billion ethylene dibromide (EDB). The beekeeping industry has responded to this crisis in several ways, but many influential parties including the Sioux Honey Association, The Speedy Bee and authors in both American Bee Journal and Gleanings in Bee Culture are asking beekeepers to stop using this chemical in treatment of combs for wax moth. This seems mor than reasonable to protect the good name of the American honey industry, and it appears to be only a matter of time before EDB will no longer be manufactured for this use.

This has generated a lot of questions as to alternatives for wax moth control. Certan, the biological agent which selectively attacks wax moth larvae, is still available, and loss of EDBs no doubt will cause more and more beekeepers to consider its use. Other alternatives also exist, such as treatment with the chemical paradichlorobenzene or PDB (unfortunately, this generally is only a preventative measure), heat, cold and carbon dioxide.

The following is a chart of temperatures required to kill all stages of wax moth using cold or heat treatment:

 C   (  F)    ( C)   Time in hours     H   ( F)    ( C)  Time in minutes
 O     20    - 7.0       4.5               E    115     46        80
 L     10    -12.2       3.0               A    120     49        40
 D      5    -15.0       2.0               T

Care should be taken when treating with cold because beeswax becomes brittle and breaks easily. Even more caution, however, is advised when heat-treating combs. They should only have very little honey, must be placed vertically in supers and the heat MUST be circulated to avoid hot spots which would melt the comb.

The use of carbon dioxide requires fumigation for four hours at 98% concentration at 100 degrees F (38 degrees C) and a relative humidity of fifty percent. This is a DANGEROUS technique and not recommended for the amateur!!

Sincerely,

Malcolm T. Sanford
Bldg 970, Box 110620
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL 32611-0620
Phone (352) 392-1801, Ext. 143 FAX: (352)-392-0190
http://www.ifas.ufl.edu/~entweb/apis/apis.htm
INTERNET Address: MTS@GNV.IFAS.UFL.EDU
©1984 M.T. Sanford "All Rights Reserved

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