Natural Beekeeping International Forum

[dubluvva]

Last year my girls decided they wanted some privacy and covered half of the observation window with comb! It is attached all the way down, with the window being the base of each cell, and was filled with honey. They also built along the top bars, with very little cross combing, so I can't really complain! The top bar combs do not meet the comb of the window. My question is, should I remove it later in the year, given that it is going to be quite messy and they may simply build it again. If I should remove it, when would be the best time? I would like to be able to check on them without opening the hive.

[biobee]

You have just discovered the downside of observation windows!

The very first TBH I built, back in 2001, had a large acetate observation window on one side and the bees attached comb all over it. For reasons that are clear only to bees, they do seem to have much more of a tendency to attach to transparent materials than to solid.

Beeswax is almost impossible to remove from plastics without scratching them, which factor tends to favour glass as a window material over Perspex/Plexiglass. You can carefully scrape a glass window when the bees are not occupying the space. If you are cleaning up an empty hive, judicious use of a heat gun may help.

[dubluvva]

Thanks Phil. As I'm hoping the girls will stay I will respect their decision and leave it there, contorting myself to see round it as best as possible!