[Bee-wildered]

I opened my hive (new last year) for a good inspection for the first time last weekend (we have had wet, cold weather). My bees have built bridges from the brood chamber up to the second bee box and the queen has laid eggs (larvae visible) in the comb between and onto the lower portion of the upper box. My question is should I remove all the excess between the boxes so I can get down into the brood chamber and scrap the tops of the brood frames clean? Will this over agitate the bees? These are NOT queen cells (I am sure). They are the same size cells as the rest of the cells. HELP!

 

[LittleBeeHive]

I'm very new to this, but what I was told was that you should remove any burr comb no mater where it is, even if it contains larvae. Chances are if it is at the bottom of the frame, the cells contain drone.

Good luck!

 

[carbide]

I typically just leave the bridge comb there. It allows the queen easy access between the two boxes and provides a location for drone cells to be created without using up any space on the frames themselves.

 

[Bee-wildered]

OK. Now I have two opinions-does anyone have a third?

My sister who has been a beekeeper for many years just said "what do you need to get down into the brood chamber for anyway?".
I just figured that since I hadn't checked it all winter I really should.

 

[newbee 101]

I would say to inspect your combs, brood pattern, honey & pollen stores, possible brood disease, ect.... I think you are doing the right thing, but thats only my opinion. I am a 2nd year beekeeper.

 

[Michael Bush]

I leave all the burr between the boxes. It acts as a ladder from one box to the next.

I tend to scrape it off of the walls of the hive.