BBKA Forum

I have recently acquired a Hive with colony which has not been managed/opened for at least 18 months, the bees appear healthy and active, but on first inspection the frames are absolutely waxed together and on trying to remove the first frame caused the comb to partially collapse.
Any ideas on how best to manage this hive.
Thanks

That's a tough one, there must be so many variables.

What type of hive is it?
How many boxes are on?
Have the bees built comb on the frames as desired or is it completely cross-combed?
Is the equipment staying intact when you move it or is it falling apart?

So many questions. Do you have any photos of the hive you could take? Say one from outside and another looking down on the frames with the roof and crown board off?

When I first started out I was using the flat part of my hive tool to prize frames apart but I have found that pings frames off sharply and excites the bees. I have since used the J hook at the bottom to lift frames up smoothly - separating them from each other. For me it is much more effective and gentle even when the frames have been propolised.

Hi, thanks for your response
It’s a national with single brood, excluder and two supers
I’m not worried about the supers as they can easily be cleared, its the brood box which is the problem.
The comb in the frames runs the right way, but it’s absolutely solid and is preventing the frames from lifting. When I use real force on a frame with my hive tool, the wax comb starts to collapse and the bees get pretty defensive....
Wondered about putting a new brood box underneath and hopefully the colony may transfer down Stairs and I could then sort out the box at the back end of the year.
Any ideas please

Never had to deal with a hive that bad, but it's worth putting a brood of comb if possible underneath, bees would naturally build their brood nest downwards so hopefully it should tempt them down. Once there are (hopefully) eggs in the new brood you could add a QE between the two boxes and maybe look into sorting the top box, some frames are bound to break, maybe prise to frames apart enough to get something like a bread knife between them then once the first frame is out it should be a bit easier. Perhaps give time for any brood in top box to emerge.

Good morning

That makes me think they have connected the frames to the floor with wax too. If that is the case you could try separating the brood box from the floor slightly and then working a long thin blade - say a bread knife or something and slowly/smoothly separate the wax from the floor.

Can you tell if the frames would move separate from each other, or if they will only lift as one lump?

Edit: I hadn't read Ste's post but clearly we agree you might need a bread knife