[rick54]

I have some 4+4+4 support hives which always present a mess when removing to inspect. I have a 5 inch drywall knife which works fine removing the burr comb and honey along the top and bottom of the frames on each box. It also makes things easier for removing frames. I tote around a 5 gallon pail with a lid that I can scrap the knife full of wax and honey into as I progress through the hives. When I'm done with the inspections, I remove the pail 50 yds. or so to the other side of the barn for the bees to clean-up the honey drippings.
So I'm wondering if this burr comb and honey removal is a good idea or not when inspecting hives? I guess it wouldn't be any different than putting out extracted boxes of wet frames for the bees to clean-up. Is this a potential time bomb for robbing? After a few days I'm pretty much down to just the wax which I store away for the wax melter.

 

[Fivej]

Hey Rick. Some clean it off, some don't and there is no right or wrong. For what its worth, I do essentially the same thing. Maybe move the bucket further away if you are in a dearth to be on the safe side. Robber screens are your friend. J

 

[fieldsofnaturalhoney]

Why give yourself more work? Notice how it reappears? As it gets closer to winter, I would suggest that you stop removing from the bottom of the frames. In my experience, this are your “ladders” for moving from one box to the other, especially if they have honey in them..

 

[Fivej]

See Rick, Fieldsofnaturalhoney doesn't remove his and he may have a good point about leaving it going into winter. The reason I remove mine is from an experience where several frames were glued together and as I lifted the box above it caused me to drop the box and the bees did not like it at all. Sometimes they store nectar in the ladders and when you break their ladder spilling nectar/honey, they get testy. Yes, they will rebuild some, but I have found that the hives I have with all plastic frames are the worst. They don't build as much on ones with wooden frames. Is anyone else noticing this? J