Stopping burr comb in a hybrid super?

On my hive I have both a flow super and a hybrid super, all from the flow folk :wink: However, as you can see in the pic burr comb is an issue. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to stop it? I’m assuming if I shave a frame and close the gap it might help??

With some bees, you just can’t stop it. That looks like normal bridge comb to me. Personally, I just lift the frame out, scrape the top and sides of the top bar with a hive tool, and add the wax to my collection for rendering. Sometimes they do it again. Sometimes they don’t. Unfortunately, my bees don’t like to respond to my wishes… :wink:

I would not shave the frames down, they will still do it as long as there is a gap at the top.

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Check the spacing. It should be 35mm from centre to centre of the frame. Frames are sometimes made inaccurately.

How many flow/Hoffman frames are you running in the super?

I posted some information on spacing here:
http://forum.honeyflow.com/t/flow-frame-fitment-in-langstroth-supers-metric/8575

If your comb is built in the frames nicely, without any cross combing, you should have no problem. After selecting what I consider to be the easiest frame to remove, I remove the burr comb on both sides of that frame with my hive tool. After that, every frame is easy to remove. I scrape the burr comb off each frame before replacing them.

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@JeffH trying to find your video about frame spacing, 9 in 10 frame deep? Thought I might try 1 hive full 10 & 1 x 9 frames.

You might want to try a hive mat.

Hi Kirsten, I use 9 frames in 10 frame supers for both brood & honey. Here is my video showing my strategy.


Nine frames in 10 frame boxes works out to be a similar spacing as the 8 frames in the flow brood boxes. cheers.
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Thanks @JeffH, this is the one. I just want to check how you get your initial spacing. Will do the same, 9 in brood & super. Just thought would be interesting to compare side by side 1 x hive with 9 & 1 x hive with 10. One of the hives seems to make much deeper (wider) combs.

Is that a different queen in your profile ? Another lovely one

Thanks Kirsten, yes it is a new one. She was the one we got from the upside down flower pot at Nambour. She was nice & relaxed for us. She went to a new home, a bloke from Gladstone who couldn’t wait for me to make new queens for him.

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I have a hybrid flow hive as well. The spacing does need to be managed because there is more than enough space for the two wooden frames. I use JeffH’s spacing technique to even up the gaps. The only change I make is to keep the space near the window at one bee space. This is so the girls don’t brace up against the window.

Your gaps are going to get brace comb on them because they will be wider than a double bee space. A different geometry for the hybrid box might be one way to solve the problem. If the flow frames were hard up against the window side, there might be just enough room for 5 extra frames. I will check it out with some of my spare flow frames and do an edit…(Edit: Total extra space in a standard, 8 frame, NZ made Langstroth is 15mm. This is nowhere near enough for an extra frame. I still think it would be a good idea to have the Flow frames hard up against the window side. That way you could always see flow frames through the window.)

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@RBK In the hybrid super it is 3 flow frames and 4 regular frames (2 each side). As @sciencemaster mentions in their post further down from yours it is the standard configuration in the honey flow hybrid super. Unfortunately the gaps are quite big (certainly not bee space). So far I’m only getting the burr comb at the top and not between frames but I’m currently inspecting at least once a week to ensure that remains the situation.

@sciencemaster I would agree with you about a different geometry. In my brood box I had been running 9 frames in an 8 frame langstroth with no issues. If the flow frames were hard against one side I think you would be able to fit 5 frames in the hybrid.

I interpreted ‘hybrid super’ in the generic sense, the spacing is definitely out… but the comb in your photos doesn’t look like a major issue.

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Hi we have just put a second super on our hive in the form of a hybrid as you have 3 FF & 4 frames for honeycomb. When we did an inspection, the bees are able to come straight out at you, not like our other super which is sealed, Did you have this problem?

Are you referring to the window at the back? if so, this is correct as the Flow frames seal the end and make the ‘window’. If you have the frames mixed with Flow Frames there will be gaps between the frames when you remove the rear inspection cover.

@jackygreg, @RBK is correct. That’s the same experience I have. You had little wood pieces to install that helps with that problem but it only reduces it, it doesn’t eliminate it.

On my hybrid there rear door is a perfect seal- bees can’t get out?

@Semaphore the ‘door’ seals fine. Remove the door and don’t you also experience bees being able to escape around the flow frames?