Partial Harvest

[OldScout]

Reading some of the posts leads me to believe that some of you are harvesting only some of the frames in a super (probably only those frames that are full and capped). What do you do with the empty spaces? Refill with new frames (even without foundation?) Or do you leave the space empty if its near the end of the season anyway? Thanks for your responses.

[Michael Bush]

You must fill the spaces with frames. The frames must have some kind of comb guide or be between two drawn frames if you don't want the bees to mess them all up.

A row of cells left on the top bar will act as a comb guide. Of course foundation will act as a comb guide. A starter srip (3/4" strip of foundation) will act as a comb guide. A strip of wood in the brood that sticks out from 1/4" to 1/2" will act as a comb guide. A triangular piece on the bottom of the top bar will act as a comb guide. A drawn frame on each side of a frame will act as a comb guide.

A box of plain frames with no comb guide will probably be messed up entirely by the bees.

Never leave a frame out of a box or the bees will draw a comb from the lid or the bottom bar of the frame above. Bees will always fill any empty space with comb. They don't care about frames or foundation one way or the other. In fact, since they prefer to build their own comb, they will often pass up the frames with new foundation to draw a comb in the empty space FIRST.

[OldScout]

Ok, thanks.

[Daisy]

Hi MB, I know that's right...

I scraped large constructed pieces of comb filled with honey a couple of days ago. I scraped it into a plate and crushed it with my hands and dang near filled a quart jar.

The bees are scavaging the wax clumps...

And boy, is it ever gooood!

I think I'll make some homemade bisuits tomarrow! For the honey and fresh butter.

Hmmmm I'm getting hungry.

[This message has been edited by Daisy (edited July 06, 2004).]

[Daisy]

And MB

I know what line stone looks like now. It's all over the place.

LOL Sheesh!

[Michael Bush]

They should just call it Kansas rock. They make fence posts out of it there. http://www.beesource.com/ubb/smile.gif