Odd Comb Formation (Picture)

[FrogPond]

What is going on here? This is the first comb being drawn in the second deep of a hive that is weak (see other post). Note the cells are larger than the foundation. I found a couple of smaller chunks of comb like this, but this was the largest section. Any advice is appreciated!

[thegolfpsycho]

Cut it out before they waste any more energy on it, and push your frames together.  Too much beespace.  And they either want some drones, or are planning to store honey there.

[bassman1977]

Looks like burr comb to me.  You'll have that.  It makes it a little difficult to pull frames and open boxes.  Cut it out and if there's honey in it, enjoy.

[SherryL]

I agree with golfpsycho - somehow or 'nother you had too much space inbetween frames there.  How many frames are you running per box Charles?

[FrogPond]

Burr comb? Hmm... ok, but there are 10 frames in the box. This was a frame in the center, so they had built this out against another frame that just had foundation. I can accept this as burr comb, but I am not altogether sure this is right.

Thanks just the same! I will keep scratching my head over this one.

[SherryL]

I know Charles, we all scratch our heads - alot!  I would double check that frame and the frame ajoining it.  Make sure that the foundation isn't warped at all, that the frames are hanging perfectly straight (no torque).  Until the girls draw that foundation out, they have too much room to mess with.  You might want to move that frame (and maybe the ajoining one too) to the outside of the box (on opposite sides) just to give the girls a 'fresh start' on two other frames.

Do you arrange your frames according to housel positioning?  I don't have the link for it right here - maybe just do a search on this site (or even google) and it will come up.  But it's a simple, no-cost manipulation of the frames, and it might help keep the girls from going crazy on the comb building.

[bassman1977]

This should help with what Sherry was talking about.

http://www.beesource.com/pov/lusby/housel.htm

[Joseph Clemens]

I have read about Housel positioning and am always curious about such ideas. I have decided to try some colonies, paying attention and providing them with Housel positioning. For convenience I have taken to keeping a box of thumb tacks with me and push one into the center-edge of the side of the frame with the "Y" upside down to mark an indication where the side where the single arm of the "Y" is pointing up. I figure that once I have a majority of my frames marked this way I can choose to arrange them Housel or not depending on my preference and perhaps give Housel positioning a try.

[Jerrymac]

I have the wedge type frames. I place the upside down "Y" on the side the wedge is nailed on to hold the foundation. Then I know that side always faces the middle of the hive.