Break open stuck frames?

omnimirage · April 17, 2016, 02:26:59 AM

I've had these nucs for about nine months, I captured them as swarms. Whenever I go to check on them nowadays, I haven't been pulling out the frames, as they've been stuck together. I've been nurturing these swarms from a weak state, and haven't wanted to disrupt their environment due fear of harming them, particularly the queen. However, they're much stronger now, and I'm unable to actually look at what's going on. Here are some photos of them:

https://imgur.com/a/6h6Vy

I spotted a worm crawling on top of the second hive when I opened it. I'm not sure, but it looked similar to a Wax Moth I once saw.

What should I do now? Should I go seperate the frames and check out what's going on?

yantabulla · April 17, 2016, 05:22:57 AM

Omnimirage,

Can you find a beekeeper close to you who is willing to help you?

From memory you are in the Brisbane area. Surely there is a club or beekeeping group that you can contact.

It is terribly hard to see what is going on from your photos and your descriptions.

It is also troubling to see you posting in every major beekeeping site in the world and getting conflicting information when the help that you need is so near to you.

Not everyone on these forums who gives you advice knows what they are talking about.

Find a friendly beekeeper close to you.

Good luck

Yantabulla
Mt. Coramba Apiculture

little john · April 17, 2016, 05:33:06 AM

Well - no prizes for spotting WHY those frames are glued together. You have 4 frames in a 5-frame box, and which have not been pushed together properly - so their spacing has been excessive, and the bees have had a 'field day'.

So - what best to do ? If it were any time other than now, I'd suggest either cutting your way through the combs and rescue what you can ... or place another nuc box on top - with frames spaced correctly - and wait for the bees to move upwards into the warmth of the upper box, then salvage what you can from the lower box.

But - I'm mindful that you're about to enter winter in your country, and I doubt that the bees would recover enough from major comb surgery at this late date to over-winter successfully - so on balance, and if it were my problem, then I'd leave the boxes alone until next spring, and then carefully carve those frames apart with a bread knife or similar.

Looking for local help - as suggested above - would certainly be a good move.

LJ

yantabulla · April 17, 2016, 05:37:00 AM

Good advice Little John

omnimirage · April 18, 2016, 07:34:49 AM

I don't feel comfortable asking any stranger to help. There are a few local beekeepers I know of, but I also don't feel right asking them. There's a local amateur beekeeper's club that's supposed to be educational, I have thought about attending to one of those. I'm in Adelaide.

So today I did some reading into Small Hive Beetles, and I noted that their maggot form looks much like the wax moth worm, and I can't particularly tell them apart. I became concerned that my hive, the one I saw a worm in, could have more worms in there, so I decided to take out the comb that was attached to the hive. Most of the comb on the sides was full with honey. Removing it was a little difficult, and a number of bees unfortunately drowned doing so. I got the fifth frame in, but it's very packed. I saw no signs of any disease, the bees look strong and healthy. I've noticed that the comb hasn't been drawn well, I figure due to the poor spacing. Winter is approaching, but winters in Adelaide aren't particularly cold, they rarely go past freezing point even during it's peak. It's still plenty warm and strong here. Here's a photo of it afterwards:

http://imgur.com/zQmhiXj

Ended up putting that honey comb in the bucket to extract. I think my move tomorrow is to return and do whatever I need to do to space out the frames properly. I might have to shave off a bit of honey comb. I'm concerned about drowning the queen bee or whatever though.

Acebird · April 18, 2016, 10:02:56 AM

Quote from: omnimirage on April 17, 2016, 02:26:59 AM
I spotted a worm crawling on top of the second hive when I opened it.

Just to be clear are you talking second hive or second box from the same hive?
I would have followed Little john's advice. It is way to easy to roll a queen when dealing with messed up comb. In situations like these you either want the comb to be empty and that would happen in the spring time at the bottom of a hive or completely full of honey at the top of the hive and that would happen after a major flow.

Michael Bush · April 18, 2016, 05:00:01 PM

What do you mean by "stuck"? If they are merely glued with propolis, just pry them apart. If the comb is such that you are tearing it up getting the frame out, take the box off, flip it upside down and pull the box off of the frames then work from one end to the other and pull the frames out. Harvest the honey and rubber band the brood combs back into frames.

cao · April 18, 2016, 11:58:01 PM

Quote from: Michael Bush on April 18, 2016, 05:00:01 PM
If the comb is such that you are tearing it up getting the frame out, take the box off, flip it upside down and pull the box off of the frames then work from one end to the other and pull the frames out.

That's a good tip. I would have never thought of that. I'll have to remember that one.