Comb replacement

[Hachi]

I'm interested to hear peoples methods of comb replacement when its black and its time to replace.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Demarree - old comb ends up in top box, gets sorted into re-use or scrap at end of season

 

[victor meldrew]

I'm interested to hear peoples methods of comb replacement when its black and its time to replace.

I do a Bailey comb change !


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[Beefriendly]

I'm interested to hear peoples methods of comb replacement when its black and its time to replace.

Don't worry about it being black...it's when it gets like this it's time to change it

 

[Finman]

.
When it is a flow, give a box of foundations. Then give second. Wait that colony is ready to draw combs.

Put the foundation box between super and brood.
You may put it too under the brood box if colony is small. In nature the nest grows downwards.

No special tricks are needed.

 

[victor meldrew]

Bang on Finny !


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[Erichalfbee]

Demarree - old comb ends up in top box, gets sorted into re-use or scrap at end of season

Yes I tried that for the first time this year and it worked very well

 

[drex]

As per Finman and also opportunistic. Moving old frames to edge of box and replace as opportunity arises or just replace.

 

[Finman]

.
I move old combs into centre and move then the away.

First I moved old to sides, and one day all brood combs were as old.

In edges bees store pollen into combs and you cannot love them off.

 

[For want of a better word]

Shook swarm onto new comb every two years when you replace the old buckfast queen........ if they need it or not.
Burn the old frames and wax.

Yeghes da

 

[Heather]

I do a shook swarm in April, before the full flow hits, but when bees active and weather warm.
I did all mine this year and had no swarms, and got a good honey crop mid July. Then I have left them to gather their winter feed store.
.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Shook swarm onto new comb every two years

A rather silly thing to do.

https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=41783&highlight=shook+swarm

 

[Stiffy]

As per Finman and also opportunistic. Moving old frames to edge of box and replace as opportunity arises or just replace.

That's what I do and never had a problem, thankfully
S

 

[enrico]

Wax is as valuable as honey, I replace as little as possible. Just because it is black doesn't mean they don't like it, on the contrary it shows it is well used. When it gets eaten and loads of holes in then a different matter! I learnt that on this forum! The main reason I have to replace is wax moth when in storage!!! I use the rolling road system to get bad wax to the sides before removing it if I have to.
E

 

[Heather]

Works for me. Timing is everything. I work on the theory that a small amount of new brood will hold bulk of any varroa. Bees still early days. I dump that brood and give them a couple of clean drawn comb and mostly new foundation. I feed them 1.5:1 syrup.
It is very weather dependent as they need an early start but warmth. Have never had a problem. Do every 3 years.
Taught that black/ dark wax has a build of bacteria and should be removed.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

A rather silly thing to do.

https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=41783&highlight=shook+swarm

Poor bees

 

[Ian123]

yes just cant see the point of shook swarm and remember a few discussions when it was being advocated by BIs.....simply told them theres was no need for such a spring treatment if you used oxalic in winter. The reply in those days was "its not approved"...followed by how do you do it..lol.

 

[Millet]

Works for me. Timing is everything. I work on the theory that a small amount of new brood will hold bulk of any varroa. Bees still early days. I dump that brood and give them a couple of clean drawn comb and mostly new foundation. I feed them 1.5:1 syrup.
It is very weather dependent as they need an early start but warmth. Have never had a problem. Do every 3 years.
Taught that black/ dark wax has a build of bacteria and should be removed.

I could not bring myself too do it and i also think it is a pointless thing to do.. of coarse that is my opinion... i do the same as Enrico by taking a frame from the back of the hive every inspection if needed and slide the remaining frames to the back and place a fresh frame at the front of the hive..
As far as Varroa are concerned i vape 3/4 times every seven days and sometimes more at this time of the year... i then give them a single vape at the back end of December... all of which is so simple to do... the bees do not get raped of brood they also do not get stressed out and most important of all the varroa are efficiently dealt with..

 

[Beefriendly]

Shook swarm onto new comb every two years when you replace the old buckfast queen........ if they need it or not.
Burn the old frames and wax.

Yeghes da

Apart from shook swarming being a rather silly thing to do to change frames... why then burn the frames?? Steaming them to remove the wax sterilizes them.

 

[Beefriendly]

Taught that black/ dark wax has a build of bacteria and should be removed.

Nope, amount of bacteria will be comparable to new wax. The propolis mixed with the wax keeps them quite "clean".
It's another urban myth ...as comb gets old it carries disease...Some of my brood frames have been in use for over 10 years and no sign of disease.