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DawnMK

Joined: 01 Dec 2008
Posts: 895
Location: Buckinghamshire

Posted: Fri Jul 20, 12 6:20 pm Post subject: Another question

The top bar hive that they are building the comb across the bars the wrong way, if we were to make top bar box without a bottom the size of the hive and place it on top with some bars of drawn comb going in the right direction would they move up and draw comb for brood as the queen likes to lay in new comb then when the bottom one is empty of brood take the combs away and move the new bars into the main body of the hive and take the box away.

if this makes any sense.

Tavascarow

Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall

Posted: Fri Jul 20, 12 6:52 pm Post subject:

There are problems with your idea.
1. You don't have gaps between the bars for the bees to move through.
2. Bees are slow to move up unless they have a ladder.
A sheet of foundation will suffice for this, but unless there is a strong honey flow on they will probably decline your offer this late in the season.

My advice would be leave them alone this season unless there are bars you can separate & straighten. In the spring next year move the cross combed bars away from the entrance & drop in a couple of straight bars from a good hive & then new bars with guides.
Hopefully they will take the hint & build straight comb on the new bars & as they will be nearer the entrance the queen should use them for brood.
Bees tend to keep their stores above & to the outside of the brood, away from the entrance. So hopefully the old cross combed bars will eventually get backfilled with honey that you can remove & harvest this time next year.

DawnMK

Joined: 01 Dec 2008
Posts: 895
Location: Buckinghamshire

Posted: Fri Jul 20, 12 7:26 pm Post subject:
thank you that makes sense

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