[margot]

In a new hive, started from a nuc a few weeks ago, the bees have built comb on the bottom edge of the frames, and this comb contains some capped brood. The comb area is several square inches, and must extend to the bottom of the bottom board. There is plenty of space available for comb in the rest of the hive.
The largest amount of comb is on a black pierco frame.
Why are the bees building this comb? Should I remove it?
Thanks for your help on this and my many other questions!

 

[greenbeekeeping]

I would just leave it there. Usually they will build some comb that goes down to the bottom board that way they can walk up into the hive.

 

[Michael Bush]

They probably won't attach it to the bottom and to remove it you will kill brood and they will probably rebuild it anyway. No matter how many times you remove comb, it does not deter them a bit. I wouldn't worry about it. My biggest frustration is that they tend to build queen cells hanging off of that kind of extra comb at the bottom and then if you put it in a box with a shallower opening on the bottom you squish it. Somtimes the connect the queen cell somwhere and you break it trying to find queen cells. But there isn't really anything you can do to stop them. If you have a reversable bottom board, which most of them are, you can set your bottom board to the 3/8" depth instead of the 3/4" depth and this might discourage it some. Also the 3/8" depth keeps the wax moths out and makes a more defensible entrance. Unfortunately it also cuts down on ventilation.