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Mick Flower New Bee
Joined: 28 Feb 2019 Posts: 2 Location: Nottingham, UK
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Posted: Sat Mar 02, 2019 4:39 pm Post subject: Old comb |
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What is the best way to move comb from the centre of the TBH to the outside edges so that it can be scrapped? I am now going into my third season with a strong TB colony and the comb in the centre of the hive is very dark. My queen is currently laying well but all the sealed brood is in old comb. How can I encourage my bees to build some new comb this season? Thanks. |
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Barbara Site Admin
Joined: 27 Jul 2011 Posts: 1857 Location: England/Co.Durham/Ebchester
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Posted: Sat Mar 02, 2019 5:42 pm Post subject: |
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Hi.
3 year old comb is not a real concern in my opinion. I have some well over 10 years and the hive is still surviving treatment free although the cell size is now becoming unsustainably small, so I will be replacing most of it this year.
It depends to a certain extent on your forage. If you are in an area of agricultural crops where pesticides are being used, you will probably want to cycle it out sooner than later. Old comb is however impregnated with propolis which has health benefits and has the ability to buffer moisture in the hive better than new comb, so it can be advantageous.
To start to cycle it out you can insert a blank bar here and there in the centre of the brood nest once we are properly into Spring and there is a nectar flow (usually when the dandelions start to flower), for them to draw some new brood comb. If you do this over a number of years the older comb will eventually work it's way towards the back of the hive and be used for honey storage and can then be harvested out and inserting new empty bars in between this old drawn comb in the broodnest will encourage them to build nice straight comb in the gap created between the 2 old combs. It does need to be done when the weather is reasonably warm and there is a nectar flow to enable them to build the comb. |
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Mick Flower New Bee
Joined: 28 Feb 2019 Posts: 2 Location: Nottingham, UK
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Posted: Sat Mar 02, 2019 11:13 pm Post subject: |
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Thank you , Barbara, for such a detailed and knowledgeable response. You have given me the reassurance that I need and I now feel confident that I don't need to worry too much about the potential disease problem in old cone. Many thanks. Mick |
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Quality Top Bar Hives by Andrew Vidler
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Conserving wild bees
Research suggests that bumble bee boxes have a very low success rate in actually attracting bees into them. We find that if you create an environment where first of all you can attract mice inside, such as a pile of stones, a drystone wall, paving slabs with intentionally made cavities underneath, this will increase the success rate.
Most bumble bee species need a dry space about the size a football, with a narrow entrance tunnel approximately 2cm in diameter and 20 cm long. Most species nest underground along the base of a linear feature such as a hedge or wall. Sites need to be sheltered and out of direct sunlight.
There is a spectacular display of wild bee hotels here
More about bumblebees and solitary bees here
Information about the Tree Bumblebee (Bombus hypnorum)
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