How to get bees to use broken frame?

[noumenon]

I've just installed a nuc into a national and discovered one of the frames had been repaired and as a result didn't fit. It's an outer frame, so has useful stores of uncapped nectar and pollen. I've jimmied it in for now, but it's going to fail in an inspection or two. Is there a way to get the bees to use up the stores? Would moving it to the outside (beyond the undrawn comb) / scoring it work?

Many thanks.

 

[pargyle]

I've just installed a nuc into a national and discovered one of the frames had been repaired and as a result didn't fit. It's an outer frame, so has useful stores of uncapped nectar and pollen. I've jimmied it in for now, but it's going to fail in an inspection or two. Is there a way to get the bees to use up the stores? Would moving it to the outside (beyond the undrawn comb) / scoring it work?

Many thanks.

If it's an outer frame leave it where it is ... mark it so you remember - and don't take the frame out ! The bees won't bother and will probably use the pollen and cap the honey and you have a valuable resource there for them when winter comes. Drawn comb of any sort is a valuable asset.

 

[blackcloud]

Fail an inspection?
Are they not your bees, in your hive ,on your patch?
Should any complainant not be told to F.R.O?
Grrrr!


I'd put it next in from the outer to absolutely ensure they empty it then take it out in spring just before they start to use it again.

If the brood space is needed they may even empty it into the super before then so inward still further might work also.

But choose now before they weld it into place and
put pargyles big marker pen across it whatever you do or they will camouflage it with their gank.

Nucs are a fantastic way of disposing of old resource and still getting paid for it so have a careful look at the rest of the frames over the last half of the year with a view to slowly edging them out if they're dodgy.

 

[Sutty]

If you mean that the frame is broken and will fall apart when inspected, then you could cut the comb out of the frame and fit it into a new frame - hold it in place with a couple of elastic bands while the bees repair the damage and secure it with wax.

 

[noumenon]

If you mean that the frame is broken and will fall apart when inspected, then you could cut the comb out of the frame and fit it into a new frame - hold it in place with a couple of elastic bands while the bees repair the damage and secure it with wax.

Ah ha! That sounds like an ideal solution. I didn't realise the bees would do that, but of course makes sense that they would.

Thanks all for the replies.