Observation Hive. HELP!

[GaryMinckler]

This hive is only 16 days old.  I've been hesitating to open it becuase there's so much going on and I hate to ruin it.  T oday i finally have to open it to remove the vertical strips of burr comb and comb between the frames.  Should I replace this fully capped frame with a new one? I hope my bees in the yard are working like this.

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

[Kathyp]

i would say yes.  you might also want to consider moving them into a nuc now so they can build for winter and repopulating the OB hive in the spring.  a two frame hive is probably not going to winter over.

[thegolfpsycho]

If they have the opportunity to make more honey, give them a new frame to work. My obs hives usually made it through winter without problems.  They had that nice furnace in the house keeping them warm and didn't eat a lot of honey.

[GaryMinckler]

Well, I did what I thought I should do...that is, to open up the hive and removed burr comb.  Not sure it was worth the risk of damaging the queen.  Looked long and hard for her afterward...no luck.  Will keep looking.  Bees are moving much more freely between frames now.  I think my best flow is yet to come yet with Goldenrod a long way off.