Comb on crown board

[walldanzig]

Hi Guys

I was looking for some advice hope someone can help.I have done my first hive inspection today and all looks good except for one thing. When I lifted the crown board there was comb underneath. Is this normal and should I scrape it off?

[vicky]

Yes it's normal, yes scrape it off! (I think!) How are they?
I put a super on my nuc on friday as they've drawn out 9 frames now in the brood box. No queen excluder. Still feeding, little and often!

[walldanzig]

They are good lots of activity around the hive. I've not seen the queen yet I know she is in there because brood has been laid. Thanks Vicky really appreciate the reply. Mine have slowed down on the feeder at the begining of the month they where going through one every other day. How are yours.

[vicky]

Still there! Bringing back lots of pollen of many different colours.
The difference in activity on a cold day to a sunny day is amazing.
Managed to get some good photos of the queen, she's marked so easy to spot.
Do you have any tips on keeping the smoker alight? I'm having problems - it keeps going out halfway though the hive and the bees immediatly all sit where I have to drop in a frame...
How much and what conc syrup are you feeding them?

[walldanzig]

I've been using half and half mixture for the syrup I take a two litre bottle of pop and fill it halfway with sugar and then top it up with water leaving a small gap at the top. I keep shaking it until the sugar is dissolved then put it into the feeder. As for the smoker I use corrigated card and it seems to stay alight. What are you using?

[vicky]

1:1 mix here too - supposedly good for helping to draw out the comb.

And corrogated card too, but I've tried pine cones, thin bark, and grass too, just can't keep it alight!! Need more fireraising practice!

[walldanzig]

I set the card on fire then put it out so there are only glowing embers. then put it in the smoker and puff it a few times. They only last two inspections though and Im not buying them all the time

[Mrs Dobby]

Hi Guys, sorry not been in here recently, had major puter probs and have been on hols, but all working (ish) now.

Comb on crown board is normal, but may mean they need more room, the younger bees often spend a period making wax and building with it, if all the frames are drawn out, then they need something to do with the wax, so they will build bridging comb and on the crown board etc. Id check, if all the brood frames have been drawn out, then give them a super to work on and they should stop building quite as much comb where you dont want it.

As to the smoker, we've tried card (dosent work well for us), proper smoker fuel (difficult to light but good once going), bark chippings (great once going, but smells very acrid), straw (good but burns too quick) and pet bedding (sawdust type), which works really well, scrunch up some paper, light that, puff the smoker to ensure well lit, then add some of the pet bedding, puffing the smoker all the while, then once its going fill up with more fuel and close smoker. As long as you puff it every 5 mins or so it will stay lit without a problem, we did inspections on 7 hives and 5 nucs today, without it running out or going out at all.

HTH