Will bees reuse burr comb?

Burr comb is normal and it is not a big deal. If it is in your way, scrape it off with your tool. If it prevents you from closing up the hive properly, remove it. Just know, that the bees will rebuild it.

What do I do with the hive burr comb?

​Don't discard the burr comb.

Keep some kind of beeswax container near your hive so you can collect the wax during your inspections. A plastic pail with a lid is ideal. Alternatively, some beekeepers leave the burr comb on top of the frames inside an empty hive box so that bees can recover any nectar and wax.

Will bees reuse comb?

If you know your bees died of starvation or cold, chances are it is safe to reuse brood combs that are in decent shape, even if they are moldy or have some dead adult bees still on them. Reusing combs with dead larvae in cells is risky.

Can you put extracted frames back in the hive?

The simplest way to clean them, and reclaim the residue honey in the frames, is to replace the frames back onto the same hive the frames were removed from. By placing the frames onto the hive they came from, you significantly diminish the risk of spreading any disease that may be present in one hive, to any other hive.

Can I harvest honey from moldy comb?

The bees are very thorough. After they are done, the combs can be used for brood or honey production. It's amazing, but no taste or smell of mold will remain on the combs. If you have more than one colony, you can divide the moldy frames between them, or you can give a few at a time.

What beekeepers should do with their burr comb!

Can you use old comb in a new hive?

In most cases, reusing comb from dead colonies is okay. If I am confident that what killed the hive is not the result of something contagious, like American Foulbrood, I save newer frames of comb for reuse. Reusing comb from colonies that died from mites, starvation, or cold is not an issue.

What do I do with an old brood comb?

Old black comb should be cycled out of your hive over time. Some give it 2 years in the brood chamber, some give it 5 years. Whichever, old black comb should be replaced over time. The built up cocoons from all the bees makes the cells smaller, and carry more disease and chemicals over time.

When should I replace my old comb?

Most researchers suggest replacing old comb in the hive every 5 or 6 years. Some beekeepers say it should be a much shorter time 3-4 years. But beekeepers realize that comb construction is an expensive undertaking for the colony.

How often should you replace bee frames?

Keep you bees THRIVING and not just surviving with frame and foundation change outs every 5 years. Lastly, if your hive has experienced a complete die-off, due to chemicals, you have no choice but to replace all frames and foundation before installing a new colony of honey bees.

How often should you replace brood comb?

How often should I change them? There are many opinions as to this question but no brood comb should be used for more than three years. Used comb should be rendered or disposed of rather than being used in a different colony. For the small cost involved it is not worth the risk.

Will bees build comb above a queen excluder?

A beekeeper should make sure drawn comb is directly above the queen excluder with any foundation above that. Better for comb. Use of a queen excluder will almost certainly mean less honey production, but the main benefit of it is that the combs will remain light colored, because no young bees are reared in them.

Why are my bees building comb between frames?

Space is another reason bees might build comb between two frames. Bees will build comb anywhere they have enough space. If the opportunity presents itself, they might think, “Hey, why not build here?” Then they'll construct their comb sideways instead of downward.

Why is burr comb a queen killer?

Why Is Burr Comb Called A 'Queen Killer'? Burr comb is sometimes called a 'queen killer' because the queen can be at risk if she is using it to lay eggs. If you decide to clean away the burr comb, it's possible the queen will be in there without you realizing.

How do you rotate out the old brood comb?

One of the easiest ways to rotate old comb out of your supply is to decide on an annual schedule of replacement. For example, if you replace the worst 20% of your combs every year, you will rotate your entire stock once every five years. Some beekeepers prefer to replace 25% every year for a four-year rotation.

Do you have to remove burr comb?

Burr comb is normal and it is not a big deal. If it is in your way, scrape it off with your tool. If it prevents you from closing up the hive properly, remove it. Just know, that the bees will rebuild it.

How long does it take bees to draw a frame of comb?

On average it will take between 7 days to 2 months for bees to produce comb and fill it with honey. But a strong established colony, during a strong honey flow, can draw out a full 10 frame deep box and fill it with honey in as little as 3 days. Sometimes even quicker, in less than 24 hours.

Why are my bees not drawing out comb?

Bees will only draw out new comb when there is a strong nectar flow. If there's no nectar to make honey with in the super, there's no point in wasting energy on building comb that will then sit empty, right? So, if you place a super on your hive during a time of dearth, don't expect your bees to fill it.

What is the white stuff on top of honey?

Over time, natural honey will crystallise and air bubbles rise to the top of the jar, which causes the thicker, swirly white layer to form. This process is a sign that the honey has been packed naturally, without any heating or added artificial sugars.

What do you do with black honeycomb?

The best use I have found for this old dark honeycomb is to use it to attract bee swarms to my traps. The scent present in this old wax is very attractive to scout bees. And if the frame is destroyed by wax moths – you really haven't lost much.

Can you put new bees in an old hive?

Unless you've had extremely bad luck, some of the colonies probably survived the Winter. Depending on the strength of the surviving colonies, bees and brood can be taken from surviving colonies, along with a new queen, and put in refurbished winterkilled equipment.