# Burr comb?



## littlebitfarm (Mar 21, 2005)

I've got 2 new hives. I put a shim in between the inner and outer cover so I could feed baggies of sugar water. One hive has built a bunch of comb in that space. The comb was covered with bees and rather than make them all mad, I set the top cover next to the hive and put a piece of wood on the hive. Most of the bees have moved back into the hive but there was a small group left on the comb this morning. 

Did I do the right thing? Or should I have brushed them off, made them mad, and scrapped off the comb? I'll go back today, clean the lid off and put it back on the hive.

Kathie


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## Iddee (Sep 25, 2005)

You are asking if you did the wrong thing in cleaning up a mess that happened because you did the wrong thing.

You NEVER give bees open area during wax making season. Find a different way to feed until the honey flow and wax making is done for the year, or quit feeding until the flow is over.

As for cleaning, either way will work fine, just get rid of all open areas now.


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## littlebitfarm (Mar 21, 2005)

Iddee said:


> You are asking if you did the wrong thing in cleaning up a mess that happened because you did the wrong thing.
> 
> You NEVER give bees open area during wax making season. Find a different way to feed until the honey flow and wax making is done for the year, or quit feeding until the flow is over.
> 
> As for cleaning, either way will work fine, just get rid of all open areas now.


How do you recommend feeding new packages in new hives with plastic frames? I've got boardman feeders but decided not to use because they were said to promote robbing.

Kathie


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## Iddee (Sep 25, 2005)

They do promote robbing during a dearth, but seldom, if ever, during a flow. They never promote robbing when used for open feeding. "Set up a hundred feet or more from the hives."
Hive top feeders or frame feeders also work.
It is doubtful if the bees will take sugar water more than a day or two at this time of year. They will ignore sugar when there is nectar available.

A couple of boardman feeders placed away from your hives and kept full for one week would likely supply them all they need.


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## Farmerwilly2 (Oct 14, 2006)

I split a gallon of syrup between my two hives when I set them up Sunday. Split another gallon between them yesterday. They are more than willing to take syrup here. Then again it has rained for the last week, likely to rain for the next week.


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## ace admirer (Oct 5, 2005)

i feed using a gallon ziplock bag. place an empty super above the inner cover, place the filled bag on the inner cover, be sure to not cover the opening. cut a slit into the top of the filled bag with a razor knife. place cover over the empty super. the bees will come up through the inner cover and feed. its easy to transport. its a long climb up and back down for robbers..


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## Iddee (Sep 25, 2005)

Ace, that's exactly where to op's troubles began. That works well in the winter, but is asking for trouble when they are in wax building season. They will fill that cover box with honeycomb in short order.


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## indypartridge (Oct 26, 2004)

littlebitfarm said:


> I've got boardman feeders but decided not to use because they were said to promote robbing.


If you had strong, established hives nearby and nothing was blooming, it might. If you're a backyard beek with two new hives, boardman feeders work fine.


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## littlebitfarm (Mar 21, 2005)

Ok, will take the shims and baggies out and stick the boardmans in. One hive is going through a baggie a week. This hive is going through a baggie every 3 or 4 days. should be plenty of nectar around, I have a whole hillside full of honeysuckle in bloom.

Kathie


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## ace admirer (Oct 5, 2005)

Iddee said:


> Ace, that's exactly where to op's troubles began. That works well in the winter, but is asking for trouble when they are in wax building season. They will fill that cover box with honeycomb in short order.


yeah, but if i see that, i normally put a super of undrawn wax below the feeder to keep them busy. if they draw it out but do not fill it, it can be used in other hives.


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## reginabee (May 15, 2008)

I was bringing a frame of brood to another hive that needed it and I forgot to bring an extra frame... well, the very next morning I went back & they had built some gorgeous white foundation on the innner cover...I am going foundationless next time, they did it very well themselves...I am going to try the strip method...something between top bar hive and langstroth i suppose!


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## Michael Bush (Oct 26, 2008)

As long as you don't have nights dipping below 50 F by much what you did is perfect.


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