Old comb

[Gaz1]

Got my nuc and the 5 frames are old and brown/black. Decided I wanted to go foundation-less so put in an empty frame in between the last brood and the store they have now made 3 new frames and seem to have left the dark comb for stores and new comb for brood bar 1 . Right my question I want to swap this old comb so just want opinions on when people do it really? Iv read about checkerboarding and Bailey. and which is it 7 frames of bees add super or 7 frames of brood seem different every web page/ person I ask

 

[Gaz1]

Basically what I'm asking is can I swap the old ones this season and start a fresh maybe instead of adding super or just do it in the spring and add super if needed

 

[chrisb]

if it was me id concentrate on just building up the colony ready for winter, the old comb can Waite until next year and then do a bailey
if stores in old comb they will use it up over winter.
if they start getting crowded pop a super on if they are drawing comb, they will fill it as they go

 

[BeeJayBee]

is it 7 frames of bees add super or 7 frames of brood seem different every web page/ person I ask

7 frames of brood, because when the adult bees emerge from the cells they take up 3x more space than when they're in their cells.

 

[enrico]

The way I swap frames is on a rolling basis. I take an end one out, move all the frames down one, and put a new one in at the other end, I do this when I inspect. Next time I do the same again, the brood emerges before the frame gets to the end and the queen rarely lays in the outside frames in a wooden hive so I just keep doing it until all the bad frames are gone.
Others frown on this method as the frames are being replaced in a slightly different place each time but it works for me
I then put the removed frame through my solar extractor and clean it up ready for re use
E

 

[JohnyP]

I really like that idea, Enrico. I'll try that.

 

[sean-a]

put the removed frame through my solar extractor and clean it up ready for re use
E

Do you sterilise the frame and put more foundation in, or is the heat from the solar extractor enough to sterilise the frame?

 

[Eyeman]

The way I swap frames is on a rolling basis. I take an end one out, move all the frames down one, and put a new one in at the other end, I do this when I inspect

Good habit to get in to.
I'm terrible about getting rid of old frames. Alway seem to find another 'urgent' use for them.
Secret is to put them immediately into disposal so you can't be tempted to put one in a nuc etc etc.

 

[masterBK]

The risk is that bees tend to draw lots of drone cells on frames of foundation placed on the edge of the brood nest

 

[Binge]

He's going foundation-less, so he's likely to see a major increase in the number of drones produced until the bees find their happy medium.
They'll get there eventually.
We had almost a whole frame of drone brood recently, probably to coincide with the swarm season, it's now empty and being used for stores.

 

[Gaz1]

Cheers all will keep them in there this season and rotate them out as enrico said sound like a plan to me, as for the drones got plenty of them waltzing around great massive black things they are

 

[BeeJayBee]

The risk is that bees tend to draw lots of drone cells on frames of foundation placed on the edge of the brood nest

Less so at this time of year, because they don't need drones. Foundation placed in a colony from about August will end up almost completely worker.

 

[Gaz1]

The risk is that bees tend to draw lots of drone cells on frames of foundation placed on the edge of the brood nest

Not fussed if they do that really