[hoodswoods]

I have 3 types of drawn comb from my late-winter (disease-free) failure:

1. Empty brood comb (frozen)
2. Uncapped (& runny) nectar (frozen)
3. White-capped honey

I'm starting a 3# package next week and a 5-frame nuc 2 weeks later. What would be the most advantageous use (by type) of these combs, by colony?

 

[throrope]

I have one just like yours. I've been at it for about the same time as you, harvest comb honey and crush and strain for my own use only . Less expensive and less work than an extractor.

I planned to take the best looking frames and doing queenless splits into nucs from my other four hives, play Chinese fire drill with the frames and hopefully mitigate swarming by opening up the existing hives. I think bees readily clean drawn comb before building new and if her highness has room to lay, she may decide to stay.

Two I didn't feel were strong enough to split and I haven't looked at the other two.

Last year I had mold which the girls completely did away with during spring cleaning. A trusted codger routinely lets the girls do all the clean-up work with his dead outs.

My plan is to introduce the worst frames with deeps as they build up and let them work it out. I doubt I'll get a harvest from that one this year, but I've been surprised before.

 

[hoodswoods]

It seems that, other than uncapping and extracting and/or using for feed frames, nobody worries where the types go (at least on start-up) & leave it to the bees to reorganize. I was worried about hemming in the queen & brood with old nectar and honey frames if they just start reusing those frames for the same purpose.

 

[AmericasBeekeeper]

Bees are incredibly resilient. They will overcome our best attempts to change their world to what we think they need. Give them the resources and they will do best!

 

[throrope]

I heard that.

The best description of beekeeping I've heard is "Experience the challenge on their terms."

 

[hoodswoods]

Quote:
Originally Posted by AmericasBeekeeper
Bees are incredibly resilient. They will overcome our best attempts to change their world to what we think they need. Give them the resources and they will do best!


Quote:
Orininally Posted by throrope
I heard that.

The best description of beekeeping I've heard is "Experience the challenge on their terms."

Great theory, and one I strive to follow, until you're brood is honey-bound and domed, for example - in which case they didn't do what's best. If it were so, the reply to every thread started here would always be the same - "bees know best", which in this artificial habitat we keep them in, is as much about us as it is them.