Practical beekeeping – Combs across top-bars or frames

Akpoke Chiegele Christian, Ebonyi State Agricultural Development Programme, PMB 040 Abakaliki, Onuebonyi, Ebonyi State, Nigeria

Keywords: bee space, frame hive, honey bee management, Nigeria, top-bar hive, West Africa

Bees sometimes show behaviour that may put off some beginner beekeepers or look abnormal to them. A common one is when bees build combs against the parallel line of the top-bars or frames. This article examines the problems caused when honey bees build comb across the parallel line of the top-bars or frames and the beekeeper cannot lift them individually to examine them. Any attempt to lift them will damage the comb and its contents.

Usually a newly acquired colony should be allowed to build comb in a way it prefers, after which the beekeeper can make a few amendments to ease management. The bees will tolerate this if the amendments are carried out correctly. If the beekeeper disturbs the colony too early, the colony is likely to abscond.

A common reason for cross comb building is if the space between the frames or top-bars is not the required bee space. We have come to recognise that this is not a bad problem if you understand your bees and treat them well.

The way out – frame hives

1. Smoke your colony and remove the roof and crown board

2. Listen to the bees before you observe

3. Observe the comb arrangement through the space between the frames

4. If there is no cross comb, continue with your inspection or harvesting

5. If cross comb has been built, talk to the bees and tell them you want to help by disturbing them for a short period. Be patient and the bees should move down to the bottom of the hive

6. If the bees have attached the frames to the hive body with propolis, gently detach them

7. Put the roof back on the hive (without the crown board)

8. Gently and carefully turn the hive upside down so it rests on the roof

The hive is brought down from its stand and turned upside down on to the hive roof

The hive body is separated from the frames and comb. The cross combs are cut individually using a sharp knife

Brood and honey combs cross built in a frame hive

PHOTOS © AKPOKE CHIEGELE CHRISTIAN

9. Gently pull the hive body up from the frames which are held together by the combs built across them

10. Lean the hive body on one side of the frames and use your body to shade from the sun, to create a shady area for the bees to move to

11. Carefully observe the comb arrangement and use a sharp knife to cut the cross combs from their points of attachment

12. Perforate the combs using a small stick and pass plantain rope through the openings

13. Tie the combs on the frame in the direction they should be

14. Return the hive body to its normal place standing upright. Carefully arrange the frames in the hive. Put the hive back on its stand, cover gently and leave alone for the bees to readjust.

The way out – top-bar hives

1. Proceed as for frame hives up to point 3 above. Lift up one top-bar to observe the comb arrangement. If not built across combs, continue as usual. If built across combs, continue as follows:

2. Cut each from their respective points of attachment

Each comb is tied on to a frame using plantain rope. Note that most of the bees are not on the frames but in the hive where it is dark

Two brood combs (built across the frames) are tied on to separate frames and are ready to be returned to the hive

3. Cut out the top-bar with the cross comb bearing the weight of the comb with your other hand

4. Carry the top-bars out of the hive and gently lay them flat on the hive roof which has been placed on level ground

5. Use a well prepared rope and tie each comb on to a separate top-bar

6. Arrange each of the top-bars with comb back into the hive body, cover gently and leave alone.

Expected outcome

Leave the hive alone for 1-2 weeks before you check the colony. If you have been successful, the bees will have attached the combs on to the frames or top-bars with wax and you can remove the holding ropes. The bees will now follow your pattern and build parallel combs on the remaining top-bars or frames. In the 20 colonies where we have performed this operation we have achieved 100% success.