[LivingNet]

Question: In man-made bee hives is the square already pre made with a wax-type honeycomb so the bees are just making honey, OR or the squares totally empty and the honeycomb is true 100% honeycomb? Thanks.

[allmendream]

The beekeeper sets up the boxes and the empty frames. The bees fill the frames with bees wax and use the chambers to store honey or larvae. When a beekeeper takes the frame of honey he cuts the waxy caps off the chambers, then spins the frame to get the honey out by centrifugal force. The beekeeper usually returns the ‘empty’ frames with the uncapped wax chambers back to the bees, but the wax can also be harvested for candles.

[sevinufnine]

The way I understand it, the frames are put in with “starts” (not sure the true term) of wax on the inner edges to help the bees out getting started, but yes they make their own combs. Bees are so cool! We had a wild hive in an old house on our property we wanted to take down. Had a local keeper come remove them without killing. I got to keep the honey and he took the bees home. I got 11 quarts! Sent it to relatives for Christmas.