Holes in comb

[steveselvage]

I found two frames in the top box of a double brood with huge holes in, as if they were eaten.
The bees definitely not hungry as they have half filled a super over the last week or so.
No evidence of rodents.
This hive is quite defensive at times, I was covered yesterday and they stayed with me for 50 yards.
Last week I went through them with the intention of killing the queen but the little darlings were so placid I changed my mind.
Do bees ever chew comb or should I look for another culprit?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Last week I went through them with the intention of killing the queen

what were you trying to achieve with that?

 

[Newbeeneil]

I found two frames in the top box of a double brood with huge holes in, as if they were eaten.
The bees definitely not hungry as they have half filled a super over the last week or so.
No evidence of rodents.
This hive is quite defensive at times, I was covered yesterday and they stayed with me for 50 yards.
Last week I went through them with the intention of killing the queen but the little darlings were so placid I changed my mind.
Do bees ever chew comb or should I look for another culprit?

Bees will make holes in comb normally only aboty 20-30mm in diameter which I presume are to make it easier to comunicate within the hive but I'm not convinced. I have seen similar holes in cut outs so its not a maintained hive thing.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Don't bees isolate comb from the side and bottom bars to make dance floors?

 

[Ian123]

Possibly a mouse over winter?

 

[Swarm]

Huge holes sounds more like a mouse than the bees.

 

[enrico]

Huge holes sounds more like a mouse than the bees.

Mine make huge holes regularly in foundation. Then they build double comb round it. Annoying!

 

[W0otz]

Mine make huge holes regularly in foundation. Then they build double comb round it. Annoying!

and hide queen cells at the top of the holes. Sneaky buggers.

 

[ericbeaumont]

two frames in the top box of a double brood with huge holes

Do you have a photo?

intention of killing the queen

That will not solve the problem because bees will raise EQCs using the mother's defensive genetics.

Do you have another colony with excellent temper and all else good? If so, find the defensive queen, cage her and hang the cage between the top bars of her hive for a week.

Take a frame of eggs and young larvae from your excellent colony, shake off the bees and slot it in the centre of the top box of the problem colony. At the same time remove the caged queen and kill her.

By this method you will prevent queenless bad temper, prevent the queen laying and so oblige the bees to use good genetics to raise EQCs.

You don't need to thin the resulting QCs as they're emergency, not swarm cells, but you could make up a nuc or two with good spares, once sealed.

 

[steveselvage]

what were you trying to achieve with that?

To requeen as this colony is getting a bit too defensive, following me back to my car 100 metres away.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

To requeen as this colony is getting a bit too defensive, following me back to my car 100 metres away.

All they would have done is made a new queen from the brood left in the hives - same genetics as the mother, so good chance they would be as vicious, kill the queen by all means, but not until you have purchased a replacement and you have her in your pocket.

 

[ericbeaumont]

make huge holes regularly in foundation

This sometimes happens when a colony is given a lot of foundation on a flow, but then the flow stops.

build double comb round it

Yes, as if there's something wrong with the foundation (unless your frame spacing is a bit out).

 

[enrico]

This sometimes happens when a colony is given a lot of foundation on aflow, but then the flow stops.


Yes, as if there's something wrong with the foundation (unless your frame spacing is a bit out).

No. They are just annoying me! To be fair it does tend to be the end frames they muck around wth.