Bees are building the comb across all frames

Beekeeping - Basics
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Hello everyone,

1st year bee keeper here and I am running into some problems with this hive. First they wouldn’t build comb, or expand at all. (Got that solved with some sugar water)

However, due to an illness and work I wasn’t able to check on their progress for a few weeks. Well when I went to check today I saw something strange. The bees are building the comb vertically across all 10 frames. So basically instead of building it horizontally inside one frame like how they would normally, they built it across all 10 frames. So frame 1 to frame 10 are connected by the same section of comb…

I couldn’t get a picture unfortunately because I forgot my phone in the truck.

Anyone have any ideas to how to fix this? I didn’t do anything yet once I saw it. I just was in disbelief and came here haha

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If you use the search tool for “cross comb” (without the quote marks), you will find dozens of posts on what to do. Here is one:

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Yup, happens all the time, especially when you leave the bees alone too long :sweat_smile: Don’t worry, once you have all the combs rubber banded in the frames they will fix & complete the combs pretty evenly! Just make sure you keep checking on them and correcting wonky comb before it gets out of hand.

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That is one of the problems when you use frames without foundation fitted. Others have said how to fix the issue.
Thinking further, as a beginner into bee keeping, to make learning a little easier
I would advise using wired frames with foundation to eliminate this problem. Wired frames makes extracting the honey easier if you are spinning out the honey with less damage to the comb.You will then not have crazy comb and still have a lot to learn about your bees.
Cheers

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You get that. Rookie mistake. From now on you will either use foundation or check and correct your foundationless frames.
I actually wouldn’t recommend a beginner to start off completely foundationless. Checkerboarding works a treat though.
I never used foundation yet in any of my hives, but I learned fast to deal with crazy comb and not to let the bees get away with it.
Once the bees have direction by a few straight drawn combs, they likely follow that pattern if your frames are spaced correctly.
You will find plenty on that subject here on the forum.
Don’t be scared to get in and break and rubber band. Needs to get done.
And you will learn fast by doing it. Calmly.

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