Fixed Comb Hives Illegal?

[Steven Tervort]

I know in some States, this is Illegal. Anyone know why? Just curious...

[GLOCK]

only if ya get caught.

[Andrew Dewey]

Frames need to be removable to allow for inspection - AFB is the biggie, but other diseases, brood diseases in particular, are often caught via inspection.

[Vance G]

If the comb is not removable, it is not inspectable and many states feel that is an unwarranted risk of sources of contagion for AFB.

[sweetas]

In all states in Australia, it is illegal to keep bees in fixed frames. YES, it is ability to inspect. Admittedly, there must be millions of feral hives that do not have movable frames and certainly are not accessible in any shape or form.

[ralph3]

Another issue is control of genetics. How are you going to requeen a hive that you can't get into without destroying it? Plus if the hive were to go empty during warm weather. You have nothing but a wax moth factory, unless a swarm happened to move in it at the right time.

They are illegal in Virginia. Even if they were legal I have no desire to have one. It'd just be a headache.

I think bee trees give the illusion that they are more successful in preserving bees because if the hive ever went hopelessly queenless another swarm within the area would eventually merge with it. An observer of it would never know because all you can ever see is a steady flow of traffic at the entrance.

I had a nuc last year get taken over by a swarm. They killed my gentle queen and their's took over producing meaner bees than i would like. Had they have been in a log or a fixed box in my yard. There is no way i could have known what happened.

[Michael Bush]

The reasons for the "inspectable combs" laws was AFB. But there are many reasons to want inspectable combs. Some have already been mentioned. Queen rightness is probably chief among these.