Newbie confidence problem!

[hoosierbeegal]

Hi Everyone! I searched the forum but didn't see an answer to my issue - I have a very large peice of burr comb that I need to remove, but it is covered with bees and everytime I get in there to remove, my confidence plummets! Can someone give me a blow by blow of the best way to get it out? Thanks!:)

[Bitteroot]

Hi Everyone! I searched the forum but didn't see an answer to my issue - I have a very large peice of burr comb that I need to remove, but it is covered with bees and everytime I get in there to remove, my confidence plummets! Can someone give me a blow by blow of the best way to get it out? Thanks!:)


What this newbie did was... put on the suit.. took my hive tool and slowly scraped it off. Shook the bees into the hive a placed the burr comb on a plate! So say it doesn't matter about the burr comb at all unless it is between your frames.. I just didn't like seeing it there, so I took it out.

[clarkfarm]

Only 2nd year here but have had lots of burr comb and drone comb in various places in the hive. If everything else is in place like veil, smoker, etc. then you probably won't get have any problem if you scrap very smoothly and slowly. Bees tend to go with the comb and not fly at you if you are slow about it. I take newspaper to put burr comb on so I don't have it on the ground (I have an above ground flat surface that I use near the hives) and just let the bees find their way back to the hive when they decide to get off the comb. If it has honey in it, I take it a ways off to prevent robbing and let them take the honey out. If its empty comb, I just remove it from the beeyard. It is intimidating at first to us new people but you should be okay with this task. As they say in Texas, jack up wagon, change the wheel and get the team moving. Cheers.

[plapczynski]

I had pieces about the sizes of softballs (well flat softballs) that were built on the queen cage and the adjoining frame.

You have to work kinda quick, because the bees come back. I just brushed them off with a bee brush, grabbed the comb with my thumb and index and middle finger. I had to put the hive tool next to the frame to pry a bit. Once free I tossed it to the side and the bees (all but 2-3) lost interest in it.

First one was a bit nerve racking but the second hive was easier.

I figure the bees will rebuild the comb damage that I did on the foundation. I was just proud of the amount of wax comb they built in 4 days.

[honeyman46408]

Cut it off an lay it (bees and all) on the landing board, bees will go back inside and take the honey with them.:applause:

Bee sure to slide the frames together so they dont do it again:no:

[Oldbee]

"Can someone give me a blow by blow of the best way to get it out."

Yes, use your smoker to 'blow' a 'puff' [or 2] of smoke in the area of the burr comb,..:) before cutting it off.

"my confidence plummets!" -- It can be quite daunting, especially when the bees have built a lot of it between boxes during an 'unexpected' nectar flow. [Burr comb, bridge comb,. interchangable words??] Some bees or drone brood will get buried in the comb or honey and be killed I suppose. Sometimes they will get riled up when doing this. I have a 2 inch putty [dry wall?] knife handy for this but end up using the hive tool most of the time.

[Michael Bush]

If the comb is too soft and if it's full of nectar I'd just do like has been suggested and lay it on the ground or the landing board. If it's got brood in it, I'd lay a lid or bottom or some board where you can work with it. Lay an empty frame on that. Cut the comb and lay it loosely on your gloved hand and then lay that gently on the frame. Cut it with a sharp knife to fit. Put rubber bands on the frame to hold the comb in. Put the frame back in the hive.