Just getting started with my first season of beekeeping. Thanks for allowing folks like me to glean from your years of accumulated wisdom. Subscribed.

As a retired beekeeper, I totally agree with you vis the old comb philosophy. As a retired beekeeper (if you ever really retire), I many years ago changed the way that I kept bees, I winter with two boxes, come bud swell I add a box of starter strips and foundation, but I add this to the bottom of the stack, I then shake down the bees from the top box and add a pollen sub patty and an excluder before placing the top box back. By doing this the oldest that any frame in the hive can be is two years old, hence greatly reduced wax moth issues, and no old comb.

This is my first year.... And I received black comb and was thinking it was to dirty and old to use but was told the bees would love it... The bee farm has been in business since 1927 so I trusted his opinion but still had my doubts. He said he sends his bees to California each year for almonds. I am very happy you talked about this topic because my fear of using his black old comb was right. I only have a few frames he entered but I will be changing them out asap. Thank you very helpful info for my first year.

The point about the immediate transfer of possible harmful compunds into the honey when using a hot knife to open the cells is great information. Thanks again for your time and for sharing your experience with us.

Not sure why but I missed this vid, most interesting and thank you Bob, I am a retired commercial beekeeper, and some years back I changed my basic practice in order to get rid of old brood comb, I only have one sized box, full deeps. It suites me to winter in two deep boxes, here in Australia because we have some winter honey and pollen because the native trees tend to flower mid winter. At bud swell i add an extra box of starter strips to the bottom of each hive, I then shake out the top box before adding an excluder and replacing the old top box, I then wait three weeks and just as the blossoms are bursting i remove the top box and replace it with a new box of starter strips, this is my spring honey super. all the frames in the hive are now a max 2 years old, and I will have fresh new wax with the new seasons honey in it.

This was an incredible presentation. Invaluable for a new Beek. Thank you sir.

Mr Binnie, I find all your videos to be some of the best on KZfaq. I've been told by others you can keep old comb for twenty plus years and the bees prefer it. I purchased several nuc's years back and ended up with a lot of old black comb and the bees did poorly until I replaced the frames. It just goes to show you you can't believe everything you hear. I'm retiring this year from a lifetime in telecommunications. I currently manage just under twenty five colonies and I am hoping to expand to seventy five production hives in the near future. Wish I started this many years ago. I just love working with these little creatures!!

I run about 2000 colonies and I just have to say thank you for getting the info out by making these videos really like them

Thanks for taking the time to give us your hard-won insights. You are a true scientist/businessman.

Great close up photos...those thickened cell walls tell it all. Many thanks for this post!

I had a suspicion that in Australia, at least in Victoria, we have experienced this. My strategy was always to move the darker comb to the top 3rd or 4th box. This means that those comb see the extractor more often and last less longer as a result. Now that I have watched this video I will cease that system and ditch the bad ones. I don't use plastic foundation, so replacing the foundation is a bit of time but now I see it is worth it. Thanks for sharing the knowledge..

That last part was indeed helpful for my level of beekeeping.

Thank you Mr. Binnie for this in depth educational video concerning aged comb. I'm a hobbyist beekeeper in North, GA and watching your channel has increased my knowledge immensely. I look very forward to possibly meeting you when I come up to visit your store in Lakemont, GA. Your demeanor, teaching skills, and knowing you have 40+ years experience command respect from anyone in my opinion, be it hobbyist, sideliner, or commercial operator. Realizing this is a VERY busy time of year for you, again I sincerely appreciate you taking your valuable time to help those like me who seek out great, tried and true beekeeping information. Rodney 😃

Once again BOb, you made another great educational point that i feel most do not think of. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us. Im learning more and more each year.

Great information, it closes the gaps in a lot of unanswered questions in beekeeping today.

Thank you for sharing your wisdom.

I’m new to beekeeping and that was one of the most informative videos I’ve watched. Thank you.

I believe you hit the nail on the head here, Bob! Thanks for doing this video.

I also find that to demonstrate the longer term consequences of putting chemicals in beehives. It's just not good for the bees or us, and having to clean it out of the hives on a frequent and regular basis demonstrates that quite well.

I’ve had a frame in my hive of a swarm I caught in June... the bees wouldn’t do anything with it, I finally removed it! Thanks for the video!

The mass of 10 thousand bees hatched in light combs will be equal to 1 kg, in brown ones - 0.838 kg, in dark ones - 0.671 kg. To obtain equal honey productivity with bees grown in light combs, it will take about 2 times more bees that hatch in combs after 10-fold hatching, and 5 times more bees grown in dark combs. To hatch 1 kg of bees in light combs, 2.5 kg of honey are consumed, in brown ones - 2.9 kg, in dark ones - 3.7 kg

A superb presentation. Thanks Bob.

Great subject Bob, and as always very well said, thank you for sharing your knowledge and years of experience with the bee keeping world. Love the new camera lens the detail in those pictures is outstanding wow! Keep up the good work and stay safe ( social distancing )

Bob, that macro lens resulted in some great, informative photos at the end of your presentation. When I first encountered black comb, my bees would not deposit any honey in the cells, and that's when I knew it was a problem. Your tip about moving the black comb in the spring is the advice I've sought for a long time, thanks!

Bob, thank you so much for posting this video. I like you, have been advocating for a number of years that comb culling is essential for healthy beekeeping. It amazes me the amount of pushback I've had over the years. Thanks again, HONEY B GUYS

There is some great information in this video! Although I have yet to start beekeeping, I do plan to in the near future. In the meantime, I'm learning as much as I can absorb from videos like this one. THANK-You for sharing this video!

Marion Ellis helped me understand beekeeping as a teenager in nebraska. Getting back into bees after 30 year break.

Makes perfect nature sense. If we look at hive beetles and wax moths they force old comb to be removed then the bees move back in make new comb and start the process all over again. We as beekeepers need to take the place of the wax moth and beetles by rotating old comb out.

Wow. That give year old come looks bad, but that comb of an unknown age looks looks like it came from an old egyptian tomb. Very cool closeup shots with that macro lens! Thanks for this video.

Thanks Bob, please keep the videos coming....definitely consider them a must-watch

Great video Bob! You did a wonderful job explaining various chemicals, how the interact on brood comb and the impact to the bees. As a hobbyist approaching sideliner beekeeper I value years of experience and appreciate you taking the time to share. Thank you!

Excellent video!! Really enjoying your channel all the way from wales in the U.K. 😊🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Just came across your video and boy did you ever help me out !! Went from 42 hives last fall to one this spring. Never would have dreamed changing types of mite control would have bit me that hard.

Great video Bob thanks

GREAT INFO,,COOL PICS for the curious,,,In the wild they swarmed an made new homes so the theory of changing out old comb an they grow better i think is true,,,im replacing my beekeepers nuc frames,,clean them for late summer flow

Whoo Bob, I was feeling good that I actually made a double screened bottom board and used it! 😊 Missed having you at the Forsyth Meeting. Appreciate you sharing your knowledge

Makes sense in nature the hive would move,not stay in same home(box) for years and years.

Makes a lot of sense, I have been treating hives with oxalic acid vapors for the third year, it doesn’t leave residue and is organic 100%

Nothing better than new comb....fresh is best! Thanks. Keep them coming!

Long-term observations of the Research Institute of Beekeeping show that bees from families with a nest mainly from old dark combs collect 40-47% less honey than families with high-quality combs

I have watched all your videos. Am a PhD. I find super great info.

Recently discovered your channel and I am learning so much. Thank you!

I appreciate this video thank you

I've never seen such a wisdom .. God bless you..

Very Interesting, Thanks for the well delivered information, also great photos, the cross cut section of the old comb is self evident of your discussion on smaller bees! Thank You, Best of luck with your bee season.

From Athens, Ga. Thank you for making these videos! You are a blessing from God.

Great info and video. With my MS degree I learned about chemistry and all that stuff but never thought about how that would apply to comb. I agree that there is no magic number of years that we should reuse comb, but if I was going to the orchards I would hope that I'd recycle my comb sooner than if I was in the mountains away from ag chemicals. It was great to get a new video it's been so long and you always have so much info that you share. Wish you had more time to share. I built a double screen board for my bees because of your info shared. Take care and keep the bees flying.

I want to thank u for the videos u make they are great I just made me 3 of them devider boards for 8 frame hives I had to do splits today put 2 queen cell in each a swarm I just cought a month ago if fixen to swarm again it is the breed they swarm them selves to death they did so good it was unreal the mother hive is struggling the nector flow is on and is going to be over in june and they want to swarm. I just wanted to say thank u u do a great job

Thank you Bob!

I've subscribed , Liked every video ,and spent the last month , listening to every word ,I've Got a Older man thats been keeping for years and years and his Son , That's my age that's took me under their wings this year. The Older Gentleman isn't able to help psychically , but share ageless Knowledge , His son's been doing it since childhood , I watched him catch his first swarm this year , and then let me Catch the next one pretty much by myself with him watching . ,,, After we saw that swarm was doing good , I transported them to my house as my own and Love it . I was listening to every video i could and finally decided on your channel to stick with,,,,There's to many opinions for a new-Bee, But I live just barely east of Asheville N.C. and so we're close and Enjoy your Teaching and Knowledge ,,, I grew up working and never stopped , I can fix just about anything thats tore up , Build Houses , Plumb, wire ,,Mechanic But the world of Honey Bees is amazing,, way too much to learn ,,, in short time ,,, But I'll keep listening and learning ,,, Thank you so much for your efforts ! God Bless ya!

thanks- sounds like good principle to include in my system

Very much appreciated. Seldom discussed as a management tool.

I came to this channel because Kamon Reynolds recommended you very highly!

Very interesting and informative. I never miss a Bob Binnie video. Thanks Bob 👍👍🐝🐝

Very important video , thank you for making it . Take care and be safe .

Thank you for the video. You are the best.

That was a fantastic video thanks a lot I’m in U.K. and only gasvap me bees and glad I do now 👍🇬🇧

Very good points.

I look forward to your videos. Your presentation and information are top notch.

Great video Bob thanks buddy, I only gasvap my bees and I’m glad I do now 🇬🇧👍

Good video. 2-3 years new comb, and no plastic. (30 hives, hobbyist)

Great advice, thanks for sharing.

Bob, thank you so much for posting this video.

Thanks for video.i think your right on. Some thing we over look. But will pay close attention to. And try to rotate out.thanks bob. Look forward to your videos. And your knowledge

Fully agree with you I dont keep old combs in my hives

So if it's on plastic foundation would you scrape and reuse it or toss the whole thing. Thanks for sharing or knowledge I find it priceless.

Great video Bob, thanks for all the information!

Very good information, Bob. Thank You!!

I stumbled across your channel and wanted to say how much I appreciate the honesty and the fact you take the time to thoroughly answer everyone’s questions. I live towards Charlotte area and plan to start taking hives to Boone for the summer flow.

Very helpful information.

That's some very good information right there. Thanks for sharing.

Great and very informative video. I really love you style... Factual, science based and professional...... But still come off as just a fellow beekeeper...... Killer Bees meets Andy Griffith! LOL

You will get it down on your queens. Great work.

Many many thnx to u.keep informed us.😊

Great video Bob. So just a couple days ago I did a video and have still to edit it, on whether old comb will also affect a laying pattern. I have been in a hive where an old comb had a bad pattern, yet a frame or two over she had a great pattern. Just got me to thinking about cell wall size being built up, along with small bees, and whether it could affect the laying pattern. So I have this hive that is getting up to about 5 years and the brood is rough. Plenty of solid eggs, but the bees are yanking a lot of larvae out and leaving it very spotty. Yea, most likely the queen, but I figured I'd try and see what happens with some newer comb and some foundation to be drawn. So who knows. Going to try it a few times as I see spotty patterns in old comb. Had a poisoning 2 years ago and lost most my hives and this one survived. So a lot of the comb in my boxes isn't terribly old, but I am planning to implement a rotation next year with some of the older stuff. Low Ag down here in SE Louisiana, so I think I am doing ok for now with regard to toxicity, but it's building everyday and I want to get a jump on a rotation plan, and this video is motivating me more. I think a good window is 7 to 10 years for me. By the way, love y'alls store. Been there a couple times and cleaned you out of some hive top feeders a few years back and some of your retired entrance feeders. Visit that area with friends from my hometown south of Valdosta. Thanks.

Great information! Thanks Bob!!

Next time you get a chance Would you be able to show how to change out a whole box of old combs to new combs. I would think it would be very invasive for the bees. I’m am concerned about killing too many.

don't forget Arsenic is organic... great video!

Great video! Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

Great info thanks for sharing!

How do you dispose of the old comb? Your video was very informative.

you and I have the same vlogging camera....and macro lens it appears. Canon M50...... it has a learning curve for sure for this old salt.

Great video Bob !!

Thanks for making such a great video.

나는 초보 양봉가이다. 당신은 정확하게 말했다. 당신은 충분히 훌륭한 사람이다. 당신은 인류를 구한 또 한사람이다. 그것에 감사한다.

Very informative. Thank you

Hi buddy , great information about bees. Thnx a lot

Good insight. Thank you.

Also: what are the advantages of the plastic foundation? do you have a video talking about that topic? you are great teacher. You have great technology.

Well done 👍🏻 as always...

Cool shots with your camera!

A very informative presentation....do you throw out the old comb or can it be melted, cleaned and reused as a prep for new plastic foundation? Thank you.

Thanks Bob, love your information sessions, been working bees for about 4 years, so this Spring seems to be the right time to start the rotation plan, I gather that Spring is the best time, what about just after the nectar run, in South Africa it is during November to middle January, this year the run was during October? Thanks again, God bless!!

But Don the Fat Bee man has told us many times that you can't do better than old dark comb for your bees. this is so frustrating to get polor opposite information from "reputable" beekeepers? how do we really know who to listen to? thanks

It makes sense that brood cells shrink over time since part of the cocoons remain behind. But I had figured the bees probably adjusted for that. So I found Jennifer Barry’s data that both brood cell size and adult bee size decreased over time very interesting. I have long observed that when I do cut outs on feral colonies the bees are noticeably smaller. I have always attributed this to natural comb cell size rather than to the fact that these colonies were often using old dark comb. In particularly large colonies, I have also observed that it appears that the bees “abandon” the really dark outside comb when the nest expands horizontally -but less so when the nest is expanding vertically. I wonder if they are choosing to abandon the comb because of the cells size or because of possible contamination or simply because Honey is put to the outside of the brood nest and so perhaps was at one time filled with honey but at the time of my cut out it was empty. Any thoughts on this? Interesting research often leads to more questions 😉

Whats the best method to keep small hive bettle out of the hive or control it ?what do you do to keep them in check?

Think you for the Video

We use dark combs in cull equipment hung in trees to use for catching swarms.

You are right there are a lot of people out there or spreading this false information over old cone is better. Especially here on KZfaq

Im sorry Bob, i didn't undestand what "crimp wire" is and why it makes that gap on the bottom, i always thought that it was because when you put the wax it was to far away from the botom, i always put the new wax touching the bottom. Im a new beekeeper from Argentina, but im second generation beekeper.