BBKA Forum

Hi I placed a large prime swarm into a national on 23/5. The brood box with 10 frames of new foundation and dummy board. (I realise i should of used 11/12 frames)The bees have made an entire slab of comb between two combs they drew out. when I lifted the frame this morning, this slab detatched and is now supported at the bottom of the hive propped up between adjacent drawn frames which contain sealed brood. What should I do with this unwanted comb?
I also made the mistake of leaving a super on from the start which they are collecting honey in.How much of a mistake is this
thanks for your advice

You don't actually say what is in the slab of comb now sitting on the floor but it needs to be dealt with asap because where it is resting on the other frame of brood it will be blocking access for bees to tend the brood and keep it warm overnight. Assuming it is worth saving because it has brood in it; take it out (BBQ tongs are good for this) having prepared an empty frame with some lengths of string (say 3 lengths each side tied to the bottom bars and loosely tied to the top bar on one side to act as a cradle to support the loose comb) lay the slab of brood in the cradle, tie the unfixed side making sure the comb is supported, and pop it back in the hive, trying to ensure you have a beespace between combs, so put it back the way you take it out. The bees will sort the rest.
I don't recommend 12 brood frames in a brood box it will be a nightmare to get them out, stick with eleven and a dummy.
If they have drawn frames and are putting honey in the super then its not such a problem having a super on but you do want them to draw out the brood frames.
Worse things happen at sea But it won't solve itself and it won't get better so needs to be sorted. See how the bees react to opening it up a second time, you may have no choice but to go back tomorrow if you are able to that is...

Masking tape can also be used to hold comb into frames; they will chew it away after a few weeks.

Thank you Andrew and Adam
i will try your suggestions tomorrow as there is a lot of sealed brood in the comb

Elastic bands will also work to hold comb in placed, again they will eat through the elastic bands in time and even push them out of the hive. Eleven brood frames and a dummy board is good. In the super - if its all foundation - be sure the keep the frames tightly together, helps reduce then chances of wobbly comb.

Thanks Murox

Murox wrote: ↑

15 Jun 2020, 10:24

Elastic bands will also work to hold comb in placed, again they will eat through the elastic bands in time and even push them out of the hive. Eleven brood frames and a dummy board is good. In the super - if its all foundation - be sure the keep the frames tightly together, helps reduce then chances of wobbly comb.

It always makes me think...how many bees get there heads removed when those elastic bands finally snap..

Those slabs of free comb are really annoying when the pristine foundation has been summarily ignored.

Andrew is spot on, deal with it soon as - it never gets better with time and can become really problematic.

I usually just cut it out and leave it propped up against the side of an empty super over the crownboard with the feed hole open. Bees will come up to cover it and a couple of weeks later it is hatched out and I remove it and the super. Goes into the wax bucket or put aside to show folks. Worth a check after a week in case they get confused and raise any QC’s on it.

Maybe it’s a waste of fresh drawn comb but cutting up comb with honey or brood in it is pretty messy and I prefer my brood frames wired anyway. Mainly because I want to be able to hold my brood frames in whatever horizontal plane I need at the time , rather than trying to keep them vertical all the time even when turning them round as wot the books tell us.

Deeply shocking I know, but never had a comb fall out yet. There is still time..