Bees for Development Journal 109
PRACTICAL BEEKEEPING
GOOD BEEKEEPING PRACTICE – COMB HYGIENE Wolfgang Ritter, CVUA-Freiburg, Am Moos Weihez, D 79108, Freiburg, Germany PHOTO © W RITTER
Keywords: American foulbrood, chalkbrood, Nosema, Varroa, wax cycle, wax moth The third in the series from Dr Wolfang Ritter offering advice for Good Beekeeping Practice to ensure healthy bees with “fresh” comb and high quality honey. Brood combs can become infested by pathogens including Nosema, chalkbrood and foulbrood spores. As each bee pupa moults, it leaves a cuticle which gradually narrows the width of each brood cell. This becomes critical when it prevents bees from developing to their full size. For these reasons it is therefore essential to replace brood combs regularly. In Good Beekeeping Practice, combs from the brood chamber never get into the honey chamber, because they may be contaminated by germs (pathogenic micro-organisms) and pollutants that may affect honey quality. Combs from the honey chamber are suitable and acceptable to replace those in the brood chamber.
The decision to keep or to melt is not always as clear as shown here during comb hygiene training for veterinarians
Open wax cycle In all frame hive management methods, old combs are produced every year. Small-scale beekeepers will give them away for wax processing in exchange for new foundation which should be certified pest and pollutant free. Large-scale beekeepers may process the wax themselves, but must test regularly for pollutants. A closed cycle – always using the same wax – is not recommended. An open system is much better where every year, at least one third of the wax (the oldest) is removed from the cycle, and used, for example, to produce candles. New, clean wax for the foundation can be obtained from the uncapping of honey combs when honey is
harvested (uncapping wax). However, it is possible to modify one’s management method completely or partially by favouring natural comb construction. Never buy used combs – the risk of importing pests into the apiary is too high.
Melting and disinfecting Old combs are produced as a result of additional feeding and spring management. An appropriate management method consists of completely replacing the frame with the oldest combs (see illustration below). In spring any mouldy or fouled combs are
PHOTO © J SCHWENKEL
The dark combs (centre) appear bright and let light through, however those on the left must be destroyed. Comb on the right is in good condition and is ready to be used again
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