Monday, January 31, 2005
WHAT DOES A FRAME OF BROOD LOOK LIKE?
This is a frame which you would normally find in a brood box. You can see that the yellow cells are brood which has been capped by the workers. Along the top of the frame is a section of honey that has been capped with wax. The dark brown things are bees. A frame of brood is usually covered with bees whose job is to tend to the developing bee eggs. They open the cell and feed the developing bees. A frame of brood without covering bees would get cold and die.
Frames are typically made of wood and have a sheet of foundation which is made of beeswax which has the impression of the cells imbedded in the wax. The bees will draw out the wax cells to form the comb. Bees have glands on their backs which produce wax which the bees use to draw out the foundation.
Plastics frames are now in use and the time will come when wood is no longer used but that won't be for a few years. Frames are reusable but have to be cared for as they are easily damaged by moths, mice or mould.
# posted by Ed Gagnon : 6:09 PM
