Wild Comb transfer to brood frame.

[Brock Bee]

I have in my possesion a national brood box, floor & roof containing a swarm which unfortunately I have not been able to return to for some 3 weeks since housing the swarm. I inspected it last night and sure enough as expected I have several oval combs about 6 inches long suspended from the roof (surprisingly orangey in colour, but that's an aside) and an apparently happy little colony.

My plan is to make up some brood frames and gently slice the comb from the roof and wire into the brood frames (somehow) and then make up the remaining space in the brood box with drawn brood frames and add the cover board and roof.

Apart from needing six pairs of hands for this has anybody any hints/tips and am I going in the right direction with this? And no I really really did not want to leave them for 3 weeks.

Appreciate any constructive comments.

Geoff

 

[Moggs]

As you have planned. Support the comb to best effect with wire, rubber bands, stringy bits, anything to hold it in place (it can be tricky). The bees will make good, if they are so motivated.

 

[fiftyjon]

Can be fun tying/holding the comb in the frames.
I have found that a large flat chopping board and a long knife helps, remember to keep the combs the right way up.
If using rubber bands, stretch them over the ends of the frames before you place the comb in then you can just slide them along, a couple vertical and a couple horizontal.

I'm sure there will be a little cut comb left for consumption after the job is complete.

 

[alanf]

If using rubber bands, stretch them over the ends of the frames before you place the comb in then you can just slide them along, a couple vertical and a couple horizontal.

Or just two or three vertically depending on the comb size and shape. Just make up the frames without wax foundation and slide the combs in. The rubber bands the royal mail use (and leave on the floor) are about the right size. Some will be chewed and thrown out after a week or two, but the comb should be attached to the frame by then.

 

[Brock Bee]

I did wonder about elastic bands but didn't make the connection that the bees would have stabilised the comb by the time the bands would have disintegrated.

Thank you for your guidance all, as a lone beekeeper your valuable experience is is greatly appreciated.

Geoff

 

[BeeMoustashe]

within a week or so when I tried this the comb was well and truely welded into place. To the point now where I can't pick out the comb it was! Only thing extra I can add is don't tie it in with nylon string like I did. Lots of bees tangled and locked to it as they tried to chew it off.

 

[rook66]

"Apart from needing six pairs of hands for this has anybody any hints/tips and am I going in the right direction with this? And no I really really did not want to leave them for 3 weeks."

Have a look at this photo from the cover of Beecraft 1985. It was taken by Sr. Ishbel, Ladywell Convent, Godalming. The combs were removed from the skep and tied into the frame.


http://i1007.photobucket.com/albums/af191/rook66_photo/Wildcomb002.jpg

 

[ratcatcher]

ladies hair clips is what you need, as per the clip below

http://youtu.be/O7-gjHv8IwU

 

[Elaine]

Elastic bands do work!

Following advice from this forum, I used some elastic bands to hold wild comb into a frame. It was a bit fiddly to do - but it worked!

I've just added a couple of pictures in the albums section - showing what the bees have done with the elastic bands now the wild comb has been 'glued' onto the frame