What is this on the frame?

[Martimart]

This is my 3rd inspection. I’ve found some comb that looks unlike anything I’ve been before. I can’t see anything like it in the books I have, It looks like loads of queen cups drawn together? iCloud link to video

 

[REDWOOD]

sealed and unsealed drone comb, nothing to worry about

 

[Martimart]

@REDWOOD Thank you

 

[pargyle]

sealed and unsealed drone comb, nothing to worry about

Yes... but it's a scary looking lump if you have never seen it before !

A newbie called me out in a desperate panic in May. The little beggars had built a wall of free comb at right angles to two part drawn frames of foundation ... the queen had completely laid it up with drone comb and to all intents and purposes it looked like a mass of queen cells or something out of a horror movie. I should have taken some photos ... I laughed when I saw it but to a new beekeeper ... it was an OMG moment !

We should never forget that feeling of 'what the ?' when you first see something that you can't immediately explain ....

 

[drdrday]

You usually find more drone comb along the bottom edges of frames, where they can more easily squeeze in the deeper drone cells, but sometimes they leave/create a bit of a recess in the middle of the comb on the facing frame to allow room for a patch of drone in the middle of a frame like this.

 

[enrico]

But it is good that you asked. All the beautiful first year comb soon turns into weird and wonderful shapes and colours!

 

[Erichalfbee]

But it is good that you asked. All the beautiful first year comb soon turns into weird and wonderful shapes and colours!

Agree
I think we could have a competition on what our bees do with super frames

 

[Martimart]

Yes... but it's a scary looking lump if you have never seen it before !

A newbie called me out in a desperate panic in May. The little beggars had built a wall of free comb at right angles to two part drawn frames of foundation ... the queen had completely laid it up with drone comb and to all intents and purposes it looked like a mass of queen cells or something out of a horror movie. I should have taken some photos ... I laughed when I saw it but to a new beekeeper ... it was an OMG moment !

We should never forget that feeling of 'what the ?' when you first see something that you can't immediately explain ....

Thats exactly what I thought when I saw it, a mass of queen cells cups! My hive flashed before my eyes

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

We should never forget that feeling of 'what the ?' when you first see something that you can't immediately explain ....

Brings to mind my honeymoon