# new hive mess



## Steven Ogborn (Jun 3, 2011)

I like hair clips. The 3" size. You might need two on large combs.
Find out how far the poorly spaced combs run, then I would lift the whole mess out of the hive.
Cut them off the bars and rehang them with whatever method you like.


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## Tom Brueggen (Aug 10, 2011)

I used the hair clip method and it worked great! Why wait till next week? By then the problem will be even worse. 
Mine started off at an angle, three each comb crossing up to three bars. I just cut my losses and pulled as many bars as I could at once to easily cut them apart out of the hive. 
I guess the problem is pretty common in TBH but once corrected in a hive is rarely again a problem. I have a bunch of cut out comb in the freezer from previous comb repairs. When I get home I'm planning I'm fixing it to more bars in the hive to promote additional combs and hive expansion.


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## blist (Jun 15, 2010)

unfortunately, it's a time thing for me, we had some packages arrive early and this hive was rushed...meaning we didn't get all the top bars cut out yet...finishing that this weekend

once I have those, I should be able to concentrate on getting in there and seeing how bad it really is...if it wasn't a package I wouldn't be too worried about just letting them rebuild (with more supervision) but since it is a fresh package install they need the brood

going to be a busy (bee) week...have to crack into another top bar hive that swarmed a few weeks ago to see if a new queen is alive and well...otherwise, will need to order a queen for that one

I searched the forum and saw another hardware cloth method of attaching comb as well...not sure which would work out better


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## rtoney (Apr 20, 2011)

When I put new bees in a top bar I check every 3-4 days to make sure the comb is right to prevent my first mishap.
http://youtu.be/nn9unz_3S5U


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## julysun (Apr 25, 2012)

http://smoochy4life.blogspot.com/2011/05/napping-children-good-weather-tip-to.html

The above site has a photo of comb repaired with hair clips and pipe cleaners! I had a hard time finding out how hair clips were used to hang bee comb, everybody talks about it but I was baffled, this site cleared it up for me.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I would build a few frames and cut the comb and tie it into the frames. It will be very soft and that makes it very difficult to hold it up from the top. Some people make some slings to hold it up, but a cutout is difficult enough as it is. It is worth making the frames.


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## julysun (Apr 25, 2012)

Mr. Bush, here is a video on how to tie comb into a frame. Very good for me and I will keep two read for use. I hope this is similar to what you suggest. I saw one using rubber bands that was very badly done.


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## bevy's honeybees (Apr 21, 2011)

Julysun, I read your blog entry and it was from a year ago. How are your topbar hives now? I have langstroth but someday I will have one top bar hive. I saw one in someone's yard in my neighborhood and I haven't seen any bees, though my sight isn't so good. I walk my dog by, and if I ever see anyone out I want to ask about the hive. Anyway, I also noticed you home birthed your children. So did I, over 30 yrs ago and I've never been sorry. You are new to the forum, welcome!
Beverly


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## julysun (Apr 25, 2012)

Beverly, my problems with my TBH are these, One, the one I built from a kit is ugly. Two, what will I do if my Russian bees really take off and run out of space. Without the window I put in the side it would be hard to just peek in on the bees quickly. So, I will see how it goes, I plan to find a better looking model possibly with a Langstroth frame-less stack on the honey end. But, thanks for the note and I see that I did not attach the video mentioned in the note above to Mr Bush. Will try to find it again and attach it here.
Here is the Video!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M54of8v7hsM&feature=endscreen


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## julysun (Apr 25, 2012)

This is something like I have thought about for a TBH in the note above. Nothing is new in beekeeping!

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q...56A8681BAE4EC1A0A71CE758E&first=0&FORM=IDFRIR

Hope that gets you there.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>Mr. Bush, here is a video on how to tie comb into a frame.

I have seen it done. Apparently I'm far too uncoordinated to do it well, though. I can manage a frame.


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## julysun (Apr 25, 2012)

Mr. Bush...
Agree. I have no idea how I will handle it when faced with the problem. Probably badly!


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## Keefis (May 4, 2012)

I had the exact situation you are describing. My TBH wasn't filled with top bars and they built on the underside of the roof.
The friend that set me up with the bees was head surgeon, I was but a nurse.
We cut the comb off piece by piece, sometimes cutting them in half to make them fit on the bars.
we used rubber bands, caveman simple, some of them dug into the comb a little but nothing the bees didn't have fixed on short notice. Remember the bees will repair the comb to save themselves the work of drawing out a whole new comb.


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## julysun (Apr 25, 2012)

Well, that brings up a point, should one try to save honey , comb or just brood?


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## Tom Brueggen (Aug 10, 2011)

julysun said:


> Well, that brings up a point, should one try to save honey , comb or just brood?


It depends on the situation if your bees need the honey stores or not. Otherwise I'd take it for a treat. Unless you don't need it either (good problem to have...). I'd focus on saving brood comb just for the sake of the hive. I'd imagine they can replace that honey a lot faster than the brood.


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## Keefis (May 4, 2012)

we saved nearly everything. My friend recognized the brood and pollen/honey stores and put the pollen on the ends and the brood in the middle. Remember that these are really new hives... They didn't have much extra of anything at that point. Don't get me wrong, I ate a teaspoon or so, technically that was my first harvest!!


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## LadySteelsheen (Mar 3, 2012)

I'll be interested to see how this goes for you. I'm going to have to do something very similar on a very weak hive (don't want to lose anything) saturday. They've drawn some of their comb off center and really deep, and if I let it go I won't be able to get it out of the hive.... This is my first year and I'm super nervous about it. Did you end up wiring into frames, or using one of the hangers? How did it work out for you? I've been thinking about the hardware cloth method, since the comb isn't that deep yet (I don't think it will tear off).


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## mrobinson (Jan 20, 2012)

I stumbled-upon something interesting and have built it but not yet tried it: taking rabbit-cage hardware cloth (which has openings that are rectangular, about one inch long...) and cutting it to make pieces that wrap three-sides around the bars, ending with clipped-off wires that extend horizontally below the bars. The pieces are secured to bars as-needed with zip ties, and the idea here is that the wires simply are pushed straight through the combs to hold them into position. "No hair clips."

What I actually do not _know_ at this point is: does it actually work? :scratch:


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## julysun (Apr 25, 2012)

Sounds difficult to me. I will try rubber bands or twine first. Laying the comb on wax paper and rubber banding it or string wrap sounds easy to me. Time will tell. Keep us posted.


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## DeeAnna (Nov 5, 2010)

"...the idea here is that the wires simply are pushed straight through the combs to hold them into position..."

Yes, it will work IF the comb is lightweight. If the comb is filled with honey, especially if it's newly made comb ... there's no way.


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