Removing rubber bands from feral comb

SlickMick · March 18, 2009, 03:19:49 AM

Just boxed a feral hive and had 5 frames of brood and honey stores that I rubber banded into place in the frames. Question is how long can I expect it will be before I can safely remove the bands without the comb collapsing?

Nice little colony too.. very calm and did the whole job with a bit of smoke and just a veil. 2 stings for my trouble and only when I accidentally rolled the previous owners of the stings

Mick

TwT · March 18, 2009, 06:40:28 AM

Quote from: SlickMick on March 18, 2009, 03:19:49 AM
Just boxed a feral hive and had 5 frames of brood and honey stores that I rubber banded into place in the frames. Question is how long can I expect it will be before I can safely remove the bands without the comb collapsing?

Nice little colony too.. very calm and did the whole job with a bit of smoke and just a veil. 2 stings for my trouble and only when I accidentally rolled the previous owners of the stings

Mick

usually in about 2 weeks they start dragging the rubber bands out themselves, I have never had to go make a special opening to remove rubber bands, they will attach the comb before long, wait a while and on the next inspection a couple of weeks from now just remove what they haven't.

SlickMick · March 18, 2009, 06:44:57 AM

Thanks for that Twt

I put a couple of foundationless frames (with starter strips) outside the brood so I am hoping to see that being drawn when I have a look in a couple of weeks

Mick

JP · March 18, 2009, 12:04:56 PM

Some colonies are pros at securing comb you've rubber banded in place. Just go in and check the frames. If the combs are secure you can cut the rubber bands if you like.

There is no set answer to this. I've seen colonies secure the combs in place in two days and some that took several weeks. They may or may not push all of the rubber bands out of the hive, help them if you want to and when you want to.

...JP

Michael Bush · March 18, 2009, 07:36:55 PM

As already pointed out. They will remove them themselves.

Kathyp · March 18, 2009, 07:59:21 PM

i just got into two of the cutouts that i did last year. booming good hives. they still have the rubber bands on many frames. they are broken and built around, but still there! guess i used some good ones :-D

rast · March 18, 2009, 10:09:50 PM

Quote from: kathyp on March 18, 2009, 07:59:21 PM
i just got into two of the cutouts that i did last year. booming good hives. they still have the rubber bands on many frames. they are broken and built around, but still there! guess i used some good ones :-D

Or lazy bees :-D

TwT · March 18, 2009, 10:16:02 PM

Quote from: kathyp on March 18, 2009, 07:59:21 PM
i just got into two of the cutouts that i did last year. booming good hives. they still have the rubber bands on many frames. they are broken and built around, but still there! guess i used some good ones :-D

I have found the same thing, some empty them and others dont remove all but have always seen they drag to the landing board a few if not all...

SlickMick · March 18, 2009, 11:03:14 PM

First rubber band appeared at the front door this morning :)

TwT · March 18, 2009, 11:06:44 PM

good then they are busy building comb and taking out the trash ;)

SlickMick · March 19, 2009, 09:19:21 AM

Chased 2 dozen SHBs into the oil trap in the hive floor overnight. Not happy about seeing the SHB but I am glad that they are actively pursuing them and that the trap is working

SlickMick · March 22, 2009, 06:37:30 AM

Had a look in this afternoon. The comb is fixed in now.. some to the rubber bands but I am not unhappy with that. I figure that once the frames are built out I will move the brood progressively into a super and put decent frames and foundation down the bottom in the deep.The main concern has been the amount of shb that I have been getting in the trap. Today I found only 2 beetle in the hive although there were some more in the trap. No evidence of larva :). The girls are starting to build onto the starter strips of foundation on the couple of empty frames that I inserted. The feral comb is also being built on so I am really quite happy with the way things are going for these girls at the moment.