# Burr Comb - Clean it or Leave it?



## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I leave it unless it's causing me some kind of issue.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beeslazy.htm#leaveburr


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## Branman (Aug 20, 2003)

I've heard putting a drone comb frame in can reduce the burr comb.


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## AR Beekeeper (Sep 25, 2008)

I clean the top bars/bottom bars when I find burr comb built there. The times I left it alone it just made for a bigger mess later on. Always smoke the bees off the bars before starting to scrape them, scraping without moving the bees really ticks them off.


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## mathesonequip (Jul 9, 2012)

AR Beekeeper said:


> I clean the top bars/bottom bars when I find burr comb built there. The times I left it alone it just made for a bigger mess later on. Always smoke the bees off the bars before starting to scrape them, scraping without moving the bees really ticks them off.


good answer


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## DeepCreek (Jan 23, 2015)

AR Beekeeper said:


> I clean the top bars/bottom bars when I find burr comb built there. The times I left it alone it just made for a bigger mess later on. Always smoke the bees off the bars before starting to scrape them, scraping without moving the bees really ticks them off.


And it kills a lot of bee's needlessly.


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## Vance G (Jan 6, 2011)

why destroy the roads and bridges the bees need to travel between boxes. it is certainly not dirt or dirty! Keep your frames spaced properly and the bees will do fine.


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## JConnolly (Feb 21, 2015)

Some of that comb is ladder comb, which is not really burr comb. It forms ladders that help the bees move up the hive.


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## appalachianoutdoors (May 16, 2015)

JConnolly said:


> Some of that comb is ladder comb, which is not really burr comb. It forms ladders that help the bees move up the hive.


+2..they build it because they wanted it or needed it.
+2....I leave it unless it's causing me some kind of issue.


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## Artur_M (Aug 14, 2016)

Thanks for sharing your opinions!!!

The reason I asked is they started to make it big and growing brood in it, so every time I do inspection (pull out the frame/s) I brick the cells and bees get "crazy" and I feel sorry for braking the "baby's" crib 

The one I am talking about was about tennis ball size, I cleaned it partially, but let go half way.
I believe the bees are growing drones there.
It looks the best would be to clean it away for ones and forever.
I believe this would be the best approach.


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## vdotmatrix (Apr 5, 2014)

Man don't let them get away with it...clear that stuff off especially underneath between the boxes because it is a ***** when the frames weld. You cant remove a box because it is welded to the one below it. This time of year they are trying to keep busy...When you start seeing a lot of WAC ( wild ass comb) and drones you'd better start thinking swarming. Clean it man-don't let them get away with it LOL show them whose the human.


Artur_M said:


> Thanks for sharing your opinions!!!
> 
> The reason I asked is they started to make it big and growing brood in it, so every time I do inspection (pull out the frame/s) I brick the cells and bees get "crazy" and I feel sorry for braking the "baby's" crib
> 
> ...


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## Artur_M (Aug 14, 2016)

vdotmatrix said:


> Man don't let them get away with it...clear that stuff off especially underneath between the boxes because it is a ***** when the frames weld. You cant remove a box because it is welded to the one below it. This time of year they are trying to keep busy...When you start seeing a lot of WAC ( wild ass comb) and drones you'd better start thinking swarming. Clean it man-don't let them get away with it LOL show them whose the human.


Well, I am still learning 
Just learned that new abbreviation WAC :lpf:


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## appalachianoutdoors (May 16, 2015)

Artur_M said:


> Thanks for sharing your opinions!!!
> 
> 
> The reason I asked is they started to make it big and growing brood in it, so every time I do inspection (pull out the frame/s) I brick the cells and bees get "crazy" and I feel sorry for braking the "baby's" crib
> ...


Arthur, I will scrap off some of the drone comb in between the bottom and top bars if it is keeping me from setting or straightening my frames. Non obstructive ladder comb, I leave..


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## WesternWilson (Jul 18, 2012)

Artur, the bees are not upset by your removing comb, even comb with larvae inside. What is bugging them is the vibration as you scrape the comb off, and the crushing of bees if you are scraping with them in the way. And if you have been making a lot of vibration getting the hive open, they are going to be upset by that. Practice quiet, low vibration technique:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnjjULpVsDM

I try to scrape frames when they are out of the hive, resting one "ear" carefully on the toe of my boot, then running my hive tool along the bee-free spine.

You can clear the top bars with a spritz of water. I smoke the hive ahead of opening it, and give them a puff as I take supers off...and if they get snarky. But to just clear the top bars (especially as you are putting supers back on) a misting of water clears them nicely.

I am a big fan of removing the burr comb for a number of reasons...first I save the wax, melt it down, and use it to paint my new foundation. I can never get enough wax!

Second, as has been pointed out, the burr comb gets tough over time, and moving the frames gets harder and harder. There comes a point where they don't go back in easily either.

Third, if you leave burr comb on the tops of the frames, bees get squished when you put the supers back.

I note the bees get around the hive just fine...it has side walls they use as a highway. 

If you want to give the bees a place to raise their drones, you can put a medium frame between two deep frames. The bees will draw comb off the bottom of the medium and usually it is all drone comb.


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## Artur_M (Aug 14, 2016)

Thank you, Wilson.

Believe me I am trying, but it still doesn't work well.

In this videos beekeepers are not wearing much protective gears - try to be around my hives just to watch them, you'll get attacked in few minutes.
They got past off yesterday, today I was walking by, got stung 

I am not sure what I am doing wrong or what is wrong with my bees, but they defend their hive the best possible way.

I was recommended to replace the queen, but this queen is just a laying machine.
I don't think they are starving (there are some half-filled frames), but I haven't done any mite treatment this year yet.
I heard some other beekeepers are having the same issues here.


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## WesternWilson (Jul 18, 2012)

Artur, that is not optimal behaviour for a colony. There are many reasons they can be this defensive, but in spite of her being a good layer, replace this queen ASAP. Lots of queens are good layers. This one fails the temperament test. Maybe you want to suit up and put up with her, but someday those bees will hurt someone else...and besides, you do NOT want her snarky drones in your local Drone Congregation Area. Get rid of her.

Not sure what your climate is but do a mite count and plan your spring approach. Are you able to hook up with a local club and look for a mentor for the season? That can be a huge help.


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## Artur_M (Aug 14, 2016)

Is taking the frames out, shaking the bess off, taking the frames away to clean and bring back better approach to do the cleaning of burr comb and propolis?


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## vdotmatrix (Apr 5, 2014)

just scrape the stuff away with your hive tool, you may not even need to remove the frame completely out the hive...this is not a big deal or a procedure that you need to proceed with exactness or finesse...just carefully scrape the stuff away into a container. you don't want to litter your apiary with wax to attract your friends the wax moths and so on.


Artur_M said:


> Is taking the frames out, shaking the bess off, taking the frames away to clean and bring back better approach to do the cleaning of burr comb and propolis?


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## Artur_M (Aug 14, 2016)

vdotmatrix,
I tried to scrape the propolis off frames being inside of the box, it agitated lots of bees and my smoke expired in the middle, so I had to leave  (I am not sure if my smoker is big enough)
I'll try to continue cleaning sometime next week: one hive at the time - one box at the time.

Will shaking bees agitate them?

I'll see how it goes this year, but for next year for sure I am requiring my hives.


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## Roland (Dec 14, 2008)

We scrape the top bars of the brood chamber nearly every inspection.. If you stay on top of it, there will be less work. If you restore the bee space, there is less chance they will build comb. If you leave a piece and have less than a bee space, they will fill the space again.

If you are killing and riling bees, do something different. There should be no carnage.

Crazy Roland


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## fieldsofnaturalhoney (Feb 29, 2012)

Scrap it all off, & time how long it takes for it to reappear. Do not scrap it all off in Fall;(


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## jmgi (Jan 15, 2009)

Collecting wax scrapings add up over the course of a season, especially if you have lots of hives, so I like to remove the burr comb when I see it. Just make sure to smoke the bees before you scrape to drive them off the top bars or bottom bars, and do it quickly. Keep an extra small bucket or container of some sort with you at all bee yard inspections to put it in. Yes, they will rebuild it again and again in most cases, but that just results in more wax for me, which I gladly will take.


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## WesternWilson (Jul 18, 2012)

Artur, expertise in the art of cleaning frames during an inspection without riling the bees comes with practice. I suspect you are causing a lot of vibrations during inspecting, and need to refine your technique. There are two great videos on that general topic here:

https://youtu.be/BnjjULpVsDM

https://youtu.be/tlqXDInZUoE

I think shaking all the bees off and taking the frames away to clean is too invasive and upsetting to the bee colony.


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## Artur_M (Aug 14, 2016)

This is about what I do, except ...
The vibration can be a problem, cause I don't hold things steady (I never take videos using camera that picture is not shaking  ).

That's why in my previous notes I asked if I can shake the bees off the frame (or most of them) and take the frame away (I usually take a little chair with me to put things/tools) to clean and put it back.


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## AR Beekeeper (Sep 25, 2008)

Yes, you can shake the bees from the frames and then clean them. Remove several frames from the hive to create an opening which you can shake the bees into. You can remove most of the bees with a gentle shake, no need to use excessive force.


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