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Author Topic: cross comb  (Read 5071 times)

Offline zzzzzzzzpr

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cross comb
« on: April 22, 2013, 03:18:01 pm »
went out to look at the hive and found that they started cross-combing.
the hive is a week old and i tryed to fix it but the comb fell rite over. i read some where here that happen because its new comb.
how long should i wait or dpont wait to fix. i am planing to put my staightest in the front and putting a topbar between my combs.

i have a silly question. new beek here. how do i get the bees off the comb?
i tryed a brush but they seem to be glued on the comb. sometimes they stay in the brush as well.
i dont know if im being to careful or what.

Offline Joe D

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Re: cross comb
« Reply #1 on: April 22, 2013, 04:03:36 pm »
I would try to put the comb back soon, either tie it up with string or rubber bands.  Yesterday I caught a swarm, was putting them on drawn comb.  On one of the frames the comb fell out, I got 3 rubber band and put it back up.  Good luck to you and your bees.  I just give it a lite brush and go ahead.  Have which ever you would want to use, string or rubber bands,etc ready.  Open the hive and fix comb there and put it back in.



Joe

Offline Steel Tiger

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Re: cross comb
« Reply #2 on: April 22, 2013, 05:35:07 pm »
New comb is weak, you might be better off using string and sewing it to the bar just for more support till the bees can fix it. Later on you can cut the string and remove it, if the bees don't do it for you. Rubber bands might work, but I would think they will pull through the soft comb.

 Good luck with it

Offline duryeafarms

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Re: Re: cross comb
« Reply #3 on: April 22, 2013, 07:15:33 pm »
Go to McCartney Taylors YouTube channel outofabluesky and watch the videos on the comb repair. If it was me I'd try his hair clip method

Jon

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: cross comb
« Reply #4 on: April 23, 2013, 08:44:10 am »
New comb will not work with the hair clip method.  It is just too soft.  This and other methods or sewing etc. work on brood comb that has cocoons, but not on new wax.  You might get by with a "sling" made of cloth under the comb, but I think it's worth just making a frame and rubber banding the comb in the frame.  It's just too much trouble trying to hold fragile comb up to a top bar by other convoluted methods.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
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"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin

Offline Steel Tiger

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Re: cross comb
« Reply #5 on: April 23, 2013, 11:30:07 am »
the hive is a week old and i tryed to fix it but the comb fell rite over. i read some where here that happen because its new comb.
how long should i wait or dpont wait to fix.
  I think a question that was failed to be asked was... are there eggs in the comb? If not and it's a pretty small piece, it might be easier just to get rid of it. Being a week old, I can't imagine it being full size.

Offline zzzzzzzzpr

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Re: cross comb
« Reply #6 on: April 23, 2013, 12:06:18 pm »
i dont think there are eggs and it is a small piece.

Offline Steel Tiger

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Re: cross comb
« Reply #7 on: April 23, 2013, 01:07:57 pm »
i dont think there are eggs and it is a small piece.

You can try hanging it up...just for practice.  If there's pollen or anything in it, you can probably leave it on the bottom for the bees to clean out if you don't want to hang it up.

Offline zzzzzzzzpr

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Re: cross comb
« Reply #8 on: May 01, 2013, 01:28:01 am »
today i went to look at my comb and it is still cross. my 1st few are sorta straight. they are straight on the bar but wavy. i can live with that.

i did cut out a piece and laid it next to the feeder. going to check tomorrow if i can hang it from another bar.
only reason i didnt was that i got stung a few times and just want ed it over.

has anyone here use a follower board to make straight comb? in Ms. Hemenway's book she mentioned it. i have extra boards to do so.
if i can how many holes and where to put them would be my next question.

i started another hive today in a tbh and im going to try to not let this happen in it. im glad i have 2 hives. 1 to learn from and 1 to make perfect
or at least try.

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: cross comb
« Reply #9 on: May 01, 2013, 03:21:29 pm »
To brush bees off of comb you flick them.  It's all about surprise.  Do NOT be gentle, be sudden.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
-------------------
"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin

 

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