Removing Old Combs
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Combs are consumable material. With every brood cycle, cocoon residue is left behind, the cells become narrower, and residues and disease pathogens accumulate in the wax.
Combs are consumable material. With every brood cycle, cocoon residue is left behind, the cells become narrower, and residues and disease pathogens accumulate in the wax.
As a rule of thumb, the brood chamber should be completely renewed every two to three years, which works out to a third to a half of the stock per year. Dark brown to black combs that no longer let light through should be culled, as should poorly drawn, damaged combs and combs from colonies that died out.
Old combs are melted down promptly and the wax cleanly separated from the slum gum. Melting is done outside of flight activity or in a bee-tight room, otherwise the smell triggers robbing. Anyone who wants to avoid residues building up in the cycle passes on the old wax and works with fresh foundation wax.