Natural Beekeeping International Forum

[Bicester Bees]

Hi all, I had a call out to a swarm 2 weeks ago, went well, shook the swarm into a prepared top bar. Today had a first look and the bees decided to build at 90 degrees to the bars. I’ve seen plenty of cross comb but never at right angles
https://photos.app.goo.gl/xVV39FiHrSpgaJDu6

Should I wait or start cutting? Not a big swarm but they have produced a lot of comb.

Thanks [/url]

[Barbara]

Hi

Sorry for the delayed reply.
I think you have the following choices.....

1. Cut it out and reattach to rescue bars.... top bars with chicken wire attacked that the combs can be hooked onto.... ask if you need more details.... It might be better to delay doing this until the comb has had a couple of rounds of brood in it to make it more stable.... so perhaps 6-8 weeks time.

2. Leave it until next year but make a follower board with a 3-4 inch hole cut out about 4 inches from the top on the side nearest the colony then put 2 or 3 bars maximum, with well waxed good comb guides on the other side of it and then a solid follower board. I would also create something to sit in the hive under the other end of those top bars to prevent the colony from expanding further in that direction and force them to build combs on the other side of the holed follower in that narrow space which should encourage them to build along the bars.

Thirdly, you could leave them to it and let them live as a conservation hive, which is not able to be inspected and let them produce swarms at will if they survive or transfer them on mass to a smaller bait hive for that purpose and retain the full size hive for another colony. I have several conservation colonies that are housed in 9-11 bar bait hives which do incredibly well from a bee survival point of view but do not produce surplus honey. They produce strong early swarms and then have plenty of time to build up again for winter enabling good survival chances for all and it is my firm belief that these smaller volume hives are preferable from the bees point of view.

Good luck whichever course of action you choose.

[Bicester Bees]

Hi Barbara, many thanks for the options. With the current weather I think I’ll let the situation develop.
I’m leaning toward a cut out I think before it gets too large.

Will let you know.