Hi Rick
The easiest way to handle the "Loose Comb" is to lay it flat on a board
and cut it to fit in a frame. Place them in a frame and hold them in
place with rubber bands or string. The bees will draw comb around and tie
it all together. If you don't get up off of the bottom board, you could
have a problem with wax worms soon.
Just a couple of pieces in each should do it.
 
Bob Neely
Goose Creek, SC
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On Wed, 9 Jul 1997 05:16:37 +0000 Rick Grossman <[log in to unmask]>
writes:
>I need some advice on how to successfully develop a two week old swarm
>that
>I have captured.  The background: Some neighbors called and had a
>swarm,
>about two to three weeks old, exposed on the second story in their
>eves.
>After spending a considerable amount of time removing the combs, one
>by one,
>I did manage to take a lot of the swarm, including the queen, and put
>it in
>a brood chamber.  They already had capped brood, eggs, pollen and
>honey.
>This was a full blown hive.  My problem - the sections of comb, mostly
>brood
>comb, are just arranged in a pile inside the hive.  The combs are of
>course
>very fragile when not suspended from something.  I have tried to put
>some
>between frames (some drawn, others foundation) to support them, but
>for the
>most part, it is just a pile of brood comb in the middle of the hive
>body.
>I am not sure how to save all this brood comb (to allow the colony to
>build)
>and at the same time have the hive start building into a regular
>10-frame
>brood box.  Has anyone experienced this type of situation and have
>some
>suggestions?  I am located in the western part of Oregon (near
>Portland).
>
>Rick Grossman
>