>>Given poor winter light and  my unwillingness to shake bees off the comb at that time of year, I was looking  only for capped brood.

I often 'push' the bees aside a bit with my index finger to briefly expose the cells for a quick look.  They oblige [or raise their abdomens in disapproval but move aside nonetheless].  Within seconds, they re-cover the cells.

I don't shake bees off anymore since that always leaves bees on the frame (perhaps my bees have powerful leg muscles?:).  Regardless of the weather.  If I need to remove bees from a frame, I brush them off with a goose wing.  I have a nylon brush but bees get stuck in it, try to sting it, and the goose wing gets the bees of the frames so much faster without angry protests from the bees.

Waldemar

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