BBKA Forum

Hi I have just inspected my bees and was surprised to find what I believe to be brave comb on the bottom of my brood frames ,is this a sign the Queen will be laying drone eggs or something else
Thanks

I mean brace comb lol

Just hanging off the bottom of the frame? I have that too. I'm almost sure it was on here that someone said the bees use it as a ladder to climb on to the comb so it's worth leaving be.*
Whatever the case it hasn't bothered me so I left it on. Don't want to annoy the girls more than I already have

*to be verified by someone who knows what they're talking about

That makes three of us!

It happens. They put brace comb all over, depends on the depth of your floor, if there's a big space between floor and bottom of bars, then they put lots more comb there. Because most folk use worker foundation it tends to be drone comb.

It also appears more if they are lacking space in the box and then they really do use all the extra space.

It's a non issue. Just leave it unless it's getting in The way.

I changed the design of my floors some years ago and now just have a bee space floor. Brace comb can make it difficult to transfer into nucs depending on the design. I now never have any brace comb on the bottom of frames. If they are running out of space its because you haven't given them enough..... Simples

Cheers, Mick.

Thanks guys that all makes sense .I do think I have given them enough space though ,So could be they are using it as a bit if a ladder ,we shall see .

Wildfire wrote: ↑

17 Jun 2019, 08:46

Thanks guys that all makes sense .I do think I have given them enough space though ,So could be they are using it as a bit if a ladder ,we shall see .

That's a good point, if the gap from the floor to the bottom bar is too big maybe they do need to bridge it. That could be a new discovery You never know

Cheers, Mick.

Often see it as the first sign of overcrowding or lack of laying room.
When I see it appearing in nucs'I know it's time to upgrade to full hive.