Mark asks "For us neophytes, can you explain what you mean by correcting any malformed combs?" Great question. Bees will sometimes (often?) draw the comb incorrectly. This particularly happens when they are not kept constantly with feed. If you are working with plastic foundation, it is best to scrape the comb down to foundation and let them start over. If you are working with natural beeswax, it is usually sufficient to lightly scratch the deformed area (but remove any burr comb) and the bees will often rebuild perfect combs. Far better...when drawing new comb other than during a major honey flow, feed corn syrup, 1:1 sugar/water mixture, or your own honey...and do not let the bees run out even for a day or two! Lloyd Lloyd Lloyd Spear, Owner of Ross Rounds, manufacturer of comb honey equipment for beekeepers and Sundance pollen traps. http://www.rossrounds.com [log in to unmask]