When we are starting with beekeeping we are always worrying about our bees‘ condition. Beginner beekeepers are often concerned if they did everything right and if there is something else and more to do. However, there are some things that should not be something for you to stress about.
Burr Comb
You should not worry if you see some extra pieces of comb that bees have built on the top of the frames or on the hive’s walls. This is a burr comb. The burr comb often brakes and is destroyed when we conduct a brood inspection. This is something that is normal for the bees‘ behavior and the beehive. A useful thing to do is to remove the burr comb only if it is in your way. Otherwise, the bees will rebuild it anyways. The burr comb is highly concentrated with wax, so you should save it for wax processing. Also, being a beginner, it is understandable that you mix the burr comb with cross comb. Our advice is to stab it downward with the hive tool. If the hive tool breaks through it easily it means that it is a burr comb. The cross comb, on the other hand, will be deep.
Cooling the beehive
This beginner beekeepers’ concern is often a very risky one. By trying to help the bees and do something about the cooling of the hive, they are actually harming the bees. For instance, beekeepers fiddle the beehive’s entrance when it is hot outside. If you vent the beehive you are stressing the bees with these changes. You may even attract robber bees because of the nice honeyish scent that the beehive will be releasing.
So, one thing that you can do to help the bees when it is hot is to provide them with enough water. They will do the rest themselves! Bees are regulating their most preferable temperature (around 25-32 degrees). They are maintaining their most preferable temperature in such a way that they are generating heat with their flight muscles. If in any case, they become too hot they are able to cool the hive down. They just need enough water.
Note: a sign that the bees are having heat issues is the beard they are creating. This is called bearding. It is noticeable as you can see the bees hanging down the hive or group in a concentrated mass in the front of the hive.
The number of drones
Most of the beginner beekeepers are concerned over the number of drones. Usually, beginner beekeepers think that the high number of drones is a sign of a weak colony. They are looking at the high number of drones as the sign of a weak queen. But, you should not be worried about this. It is only normal – if your bees are building a natural comb, there will be a lot of drones. Drones are underestimated because they are not doing as much of a work as the worker bees. But they are very important.
The color of the comb
Many beginner beekeepers are concerned about the color of the combs. For example, beekeepers who have bought a new complete bee colony are often struggling with this. The new frames may have combs which are dark or even black. This worries the beekeepers but it should not. This only means that the combs are old. It does not mean that if the comb does not have the fresh honey color, there is something wrong or that the bees are unhealthy.
Thank you so much the advice much appreciated