# Help! All new comb for drones!



## inga (Feb 21, 2007)

We got our bees in deeps and I'm trying to change to mediums, besides trying to change to small cells. 

I pulled out what frames I could & put in HSC (cut down) and empty medium frames instead. Now I have two frames almost fully drawn -- and almost 100% capped drone brood. 

What do I do now?

If I let it all hatch, I'll probably have lots of varroa. 

I scratched quite a few cells open, but it was difficult, because they were all covered with worker bees. So most are still capped. 

What's the best thing for me to do now, given my goals?

Please be patient with me. I'd appreciate detailed instructions.


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## Doug R (Jul 18, 2001)

I can't believe no one has answered this yet! I usually get a response within the hour! Maybe you should post in Beekeeping 101. 

I would freeze the drone frame overnight, scratch it open then put it back in. I would also start to rotate the drone frame out into the wax melter and work some more new stuff in.

Doug


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## Chrissy Shaw (Nov 21, 2006)

*That sounds good...*

I would check that queen if there is no other worker brood, sound as though you have a umated queen or laying worker problem if those are all drawn cells. I understand you did some cutting, but i have a hard time understanding where the drone brood was laid?

If it is free built comb, never mind.

Chrissy Shaw


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## inga (Feb 21, 2007)

*Thanks *

Hi Doug,

Thanks for this  It makes sense. 

Since I got no reply here, I asked on another list. But I was told to put the drone comb in the freezer for 3 or 4 days, with no explanation as to why overnight or one day wouldn't do. If brood is so sensitive to cold, why should it take 3 or 4 days in a *freezer*?

The scratching open of the brood also sounds more practical than pulling out every single drone.

Thanks again. 



Doug R said:


> I can't believe no one has answered this yet! I usually get a response within the hour! Maybe you should post in Beekeeping 101.
> 
> I would freeze the drone frame overnight, scratch it open then put it back in. I would also start to rotate the drone frame out into the wax melter and work some more new stuff in.
> 
> Doug


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## inga (Feb 21, 2007)

Hi Chrissy,

Yes, it was free-built comb, and there is other worker brood, mainly in frames with standard founcation. I was just a bit alarmed that my bees' first attempt at building their own comb in a frame I provided resulted in mostly drone cells.

Upon Michael Bush's advice on another list, I let them keep this comb. I do see a lot more drones in the hive now, but I don't see much evidence of more varroa under my screen. So far so good. 

If I see what I judge to be excess drone comb in the future, I'll follow Doug's advice. 



CSShaw said:


> I would check that queen if there is no other worker brood, sound as though you have a umated queen or laying worker problem if those are all drawn cells. I understand you did some cutting, but i have a hard time understanding where the drone brood was laid?
> 
> If it is free built comb, never mind.
> 
> Chrissy Shaw


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I would just move the drone to the outsides and let them draw more. When the bees have what THEY judge to be enough, they will stop.


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## MichaelW (Jun 1, 2005)

I've been leaving all drone comb in the hives on the outside edges, then when the hive is built all the way up, trade them out for worker sizes. I'm saving the drone comb, and put those on the outside edges of supers I add to established hives, or new hives, or use them for honey supers if they haven't been treated with miticides. The bees like a certain ratio of drone comb, but once their done building comb, you can trade them out if desired.

Instead of freezing drone brood (overnight is enough) I simply give the frame a good single downward shake to get the adhering bees off, then scape the caps. Its a good opportunity to look for mites, then the bees remove the drone pupa. I don't always do this, bees need drones to reproduce. But if there's lots of drones, and I don't have queens mating, I cull them and observe for mites.


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## inga (Feb 21, 2007)

Thanks Michael Bush. Point noted that I should let the bees decide when they have enough drone comb built. 

And thanks for your suggestions, Michael W. Your suggestions are practical, and incorporate them into my hive management.


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