Dr. Elbert Jaycox, who left the University of Illinois and joined the faculty of New Mexico State 
University in Las Cruces, thinks there might be something to the notion of replacing old comb 
periodically.

According to Dr. Jaycox, a tradition in Europe is to routinely replace comb which is so dark light won't 
pass through with foundation for new comb. This means comb turnover once every three to four 
years.

The idea raises a few eyebrows in United States' beekeeping circles. Conventional wisdom has 
dictated that even very old comb is still serviceable. In fact, over a period of years comb gets so 
strong it can be handled roughly with little chance of destroying its integrity, and so it might be 
argued the value increases with age. In addition, foundation is expensive and there's no little labor 
involved in cleaning frames and wiring in foundation. It also costs the bees energy; to make a pound 
of wax requires seven or so pounds of honey consumption by a colony.

According to Dr. Jaycox, however, there are advantages to replacing old comb. As it becomes older, 
the cast skins of generations of bees become incorporated into the cell walls. This causes the size of 
the cells to shrink. Over time, this may result in adult bees as much as seventeen percent smaller 
than normal. A study by Kerr and Hebling in 1964, indicates that heavier or larger bees begin 
housekeeping and foraging tasks earlier than lighter or smaller bees. 

*** In some cases, the difference was twelve days, enough, Dr. Jaycox says, to make a colony miss 
out on many a nectar flow. ***

There are other disadvantages to old, dark comb as well. It definitely discolors honey, but perhaps of 
most significance, old comb can be a reservoir of disease. Dr. Jaycox quotes Iowa state apiarist Glen 
Stanley's experiences. The Stanley outfit attributes better wintering and a great reduction in nosema 
incidence to routine comb culling. New evidence from studies by Nelson and Gochnauer in Canada 
also suggests that chalkbrood infection is less in new comb. Old combs appear to stimulate fungal 
growth. Although Dr. Jaycox doesn't mention it, a case might also be made for using foundation and 
newly drawn comb to discourage wax moth larvae. They don't do very well on foundation or new 
white comb, but wax fat and juicy (just right for fish bait) on dark comb, which over the years has 
accumulated a mix of nutrients beneficial to their growth.

Dr. Jaycox encourages beekeepers to think about getting rid of old comb. Not all at once, but over 
time. He also suggests beekeepers find out for themselves the value of routinely replacing combs by 
doing some independent experimentation between colonies with black comb and those with newly 
drawn foundation. As he says, "Stronger colonies, better wintering, less disease, and lighter-colored 
honey are goals worth striving for."

SOURCE: Malcolm T. Sanford, 1985

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