whats everyones opnion on using the dark comb for the bees to fill with honey? or should I just cut the old comb out and have them start over and put in the nice yellow comb?
Some beekeepers extract from old brood comb, but I prefer to keep for each colony 2 supers of medium frames just for surplus honey. If you are doing chunk honey or comb honey then you must have the bees draw new comb each year.
>whats everyones opnion on using the dark comb for the bees to fill with honey? or should I just cut the old comb out and have them start over and put in the nice yellow comb?
It's all honey. Some people think it's darker from the dark comb. I don't see it.
Why does it matter to you?
There are several possible answers to that question.
Is the honey for the bees? Use it. No need to cause extra work for the bees.
Is the honey to be extracted and sold? Use it. There won't be any difference between it and honey from new comb.
Do you like to rotate out old comb in an effort to reduce potential pesticide/herbicide build-up? Since you already have the comb, Use it. And then remove them after extracting.
Evaluate YOUR situation. Then choose the solution that requires the least work for you and the bees.
it is a "little" harder to decap older dark comb. There is also the "thought" of all those varroa defecating in the cells, and the larvae spinning their coccoons etc... some people dont like such things........... so dont tell them.
next, as mentioned, the absorption of undesirable chemicals.. Your bees DO bring it in, unless you live on an island all alone, and own the island so you KNOW no chems are being used.
Wax absorbs that cocktail of miscellaneous stuff brought it.. from peoples gardens, from their flower beds, from nurseries, from commercial crops, even from Yards sprayed to kill those beautiful dandelions. Everywhere you look, there are chems being used, fungicides, pesticides, herbicides, etc, etc... ALL of those things are present in old dark comb..
Some people dont like the thought of eating honey from dark comb..