[marshmasterpat]

One of my hives has some comb issues. They started with 7 frames of brood and I had empty frames on the outer edge. Was going to start staggering them in today but they have issues. They have built drone brood comb on 1/3 to 1/4 of each of the 6 frames they are on. So when they try to build new foundation they are attempting to keep bee space and now all new comb is offset. Do I just cut out the drone and offset comb or can I cut the top and bottom of the offset portion of the frames and just bend it back in place.

Any experienced folks wanna share?

Thanks

 

[RayMarler]

I myself just bend it back in place, as you said. The bees will repair the cuts in no time at all.

 

[marshmasterpat]

I will cut the comb and try to shift it back in place.

Should I remove some of the drone brood? Is a hive 1/4 to 1/3 of drone brood create a situation where the hive has too many drones?

 

[Tenbears]

No They make loads of drones when they feel they need them. The bees will make the necessary adjustments of drone numbers and fill it with honey

 

[beepro]

If you cut out the drone comb then they will make more of them. I put live drones from the stronger hive to the
hive that does not has any yet. Once the hive is flooded with drones then
the workers will drag out the extra. I saw 2 dragging out a drone today because I adjusted the worker population
vs the drones. Too many drones now after 3 frames all hatched. I moved the drone frames to the nectar and pollen
area after they all hatch out. So far so good.

 

[marshmasterpat]

Sorry about the dumb questions, but this is my first spring and I wish to maximize growth as best I can.

So after the drone have hatched and hives are flooded with drones, is it worth cutting out the empty drone comb and hoping the rebuild with worker comb? Or will the bees just do that as needed?

 

[Tenbears]

The bees like to put stores in large cells, Drone cells! so once they have ample drones they use the drone cell for honey. so there is no need to cut it out, it will become storage!

 

[psfred]

Move the combs with large amounts of drone cells to the outside of the hive. That way they will raise drones in them when they want drones, and fill them with stores the rest of the year. One or two frames in from the side works well. If you have too many frames will excess drone cells, put an empty foundationless or standard foundation frame between two capped brood frames during white wax season and they will draw it out into all worker cells pretty fast, at least once there are plenty of drones in the hive.

Leave them enough drone comb though -- they will just make more if you don't, and if you leave it in just outside the brood nest, they will make them there when they want them rather than all over the hive.

Or not, they tend to do just about what they want to do!

Peter

 

[Greenride]

I have a similar issue in one of my top bar hives. They have built drone brood in 3 inch or larger patches on about half of the brood combs. There is a lot of capped worker brood, and more drone than I have seen. I have been using the dandant pollen patties for the first time and have pulled a couple of worker brood combs from this hive weeks ago to add to a weaker hive. I put an empty bar into the middle of the nest where I removed the two and that was drawn with about 60/40 worker/drone.
Just not used to seeing that many drone cells and now the drones.
Both of my top bars did have plenty of honey coming into spring so maybe this is just the normal way they react to the situation.
Fabian