Hey guys! We have a bit of an issue, our comb in the brood box is stuck together from frame to frame. There are about two or three frames stuck together with comb making it hard to inspect the hive. The bees have been in this hive for about 2 weeks and we can’t see much (or any) brood capped cells. I’ve included some photos and video of our inspection.
A couple questions. Should we break the frames apart? or should we just leave the frames together and whenever we inspect just pull the frames up together?
Use the hive tool and gently twist at either end of the frame on the wood - there will be a certain amount of joining but it will come apart - most hives do this.
Because your frames are not fully drawn out don’t force it you may chunk off some comb - just take your time
You want to have the hive tool between the frames and prizing it apart
Bees sometimes cross connect or add burcomb that joins the frames. As Valli has mention carefully use your hive tool to carefully separate each frame. If you find cross comb, this sideway comb effort of the bees must be removed. If not they will really make a MESS. Yours doesn’t look too bad. Using fountainless frames up your chance of strange honeycomb. Just weekly inspection for awhile will help not letting the bees get ahead of you. Once they’ve drawn out all eight frames most cross comb n creative comb making is limited. Hope this help clear up the MUD/problem…
A bit too earlier for brood as your bees are very new and still building their comb, if you were to look closer you may see some eggs or larva in the fully drawn cells. Are you feeding sugar water (1:1)? This will help them to produce enough wax to build into all the frames.
Thanks Rodderick, I figured it might still be to early to see any brood. Hearing your response makes me feel better. Yes, we have been feeding them 1:1 sugar water from an entrance feeder.
Make sure when you replace the frames you push them up shoulder to shoulder. Correct bee space will help with this. You may have additional brace comb at the sides. You can use a follower board to fill the space or go to 9 frames by modifying one or more to a narrower width.
I’m too with foundations. And I had exactly the same issues you had stated above. And Valli help me out for The same advice.
One piece of advice that I have not heard and you may have this issue. When I went to remove/Inspect my frames a whole set of comb fell out on the foundation with frames, I was sick. What I didn’t realize that I could do is take rubber bands and place around the frame to put it back the comb that fell out. I now keep large rubber bands with all my other supplies.
I have not done this, I was jsut told by another beekeeper. Hoping it is correct. I hope someone will add to the Rubber Band Idea so I will know if I was being played with or not
I didn’t know what to do with mine so I related in front of the high for day so they could remove all the remaining honey. I probably killed closed to 500 larvae again absolutely made me sick.
You are not being played with, Marty. It is good advice. You need to put it in the right way up - the cells slope upwards. I use 1/4" width rubber bands (or less) which are about 6" long for deep frames. However, if the comb that fell out occupies less than 1/3 of the frame or so, I usually don’t bother with it - I just render it later.
Well, you are very conscientious, but that is 25-50% of a day’s work for a queen, so you didn’t do that much damage. Please be reassured, you feel something, you learned something, you are a better beekeeper for the experience. We need good beekeepers. By sharing it, you help a lot of us learn something too.
Hi Dawn, I probably did this experiment before you joined the forum. I proved that it doesn’t matter which way you put the comb. In my experiment I put it upside down. Ideally you would put it with it’s original orientation, however if the situation arises where it’s more convenient to put it sideways, it’s ok to do that & it doesn’t make any difference.
Obviously there would be no reason to place it upside down.
Good that you have tried it @JeffH, thanks for letting me know. I have had very liquid nectar run out if I put it in upside down, but your Aussie nectar is probably better quality! I will have to try again some time, when I have properly retired and can keep more hives to play with!
Hi, your welcome Dawn, I would never anticipate using those frames long term. It’s only a temporary measure to get bees into the hive & make use of the good brood out of the cut out before eventually weeding it out of the hive to replace with better comb/foundation.
Thanks for all of the helpful responses! We separated the frames today and low and behold, our girls have built two combs on each frame! Any help with what to do next would be much appreciated. Should we just leave it like it is?
On another note, we have brood, larvae and we spotted the queen today! That’s good news!
Hi Adam, I have to say its going well and looking very healthy… however the double comb will cause you issues down the track. You should remove the lesser developed comb sooner rather than later. Brush off the bees and make sure the queen isn’t on this frame then use a small knife to slice it off at the top and with a couple of large elastic bands place into one of your underdeveloped or empty frames. Just like a hive cut out, plenty of these to see on Youtube… its the same principle. Let us know how you get on.
Hey just a quick update. We removed the comb and attached it to another frame. It was a painful process as we lost some brood and workers, but at least it’s done. Not fun to watch them go through that.
I just crisscross the rubber bands if the comb isn’t that big, oh and don’t worry about removing them, the bees will take care of it… I think I commented on his video on youtube, use #33 rubber bands work best.
The frame with 2 combs, I would remove one and place it in the open space of the same frame, cutting it down to fit. Use #33 rubber bands to hold it in place.
It is good advice. You need to put it in the right way up - the cells slope upwards. I use 1/4" width rubber bands (or less) which are about 6" long for deep frames. However, if the comb that fell out occupies less than 1/3 of the frame or so, I usually don’t bother with it - I just render it later.
did you see the Photos I posted looking at the end of the flow frame. I HAVE HONEY being storied 
I will have to try again some time, when I have properly retired and can keep more hives to play with! 
