I have a horizontal top bar hive which is badly cross-combed, with the
comb running along the hive, so that each comb crosses a number of top
bars. This has made it impossible to examine the bees without doing a
huge amount of damage, and I haven't wanted to do this. This colony
swarmed last weekend, and the swarm is now getting established in
another horizontal top bar hive. The top bars have a strip of wood
which I hope will encourage the bees to build along them, not across.
The bees are very active and are now, from today, bringing in quite
large quantities of pollen. When should I open the hive to see whether
they're building along the bars as I hope they are, and what should I do
if they're not, please? Things may be complicated by the fact that I go
into the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre on Monday for a replacement hip
operation!
Many thanks
Best wishes
Gilliane
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The Map House
Vernon Avenue
Oxford
OX2 9AU
01865 721644
