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Author Topic: brown caps and old comb  (Read 2889 times)

Offline zzzzzzzzpr

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brown caps and old comb
« on: May 05, 2014, 01:35:20 pm »
I notice when I open my hive I had some brown caps. what does this mean? should I cut out the old comb so that they need to make more or let them cont.

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: brown caps and old comb
« Reply #1 on: May 05, 2014, 01:45:34 pm »
I notice when I open my hive I had some brown caps. what does this mean? should I cut out the old comb so that they need to make more or let them cont.
It means that you have capped brood.
The color of the cap is dependent on what the bees used to make the cap. In my observation hive, on the old frame, dark brown comb, the cap would be medium brown. On the frame above that, on new comb, it would be light beige.
They use wax, pollen and propolis to make the cap breath. If it was all wax the brood would suffocate to death.
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin