North Carolina Bee School Practice Exam

What happens when there is too much bee space between the boxes?

1. Bees will abscond

2. Build burr comb

3. Increase honey production

4. Reduce brood rearing

The correct answer is: Build burr comb

When there is too much bee space between the boxes, the bees will likely build burr comb. Burr comb is the extra wax that bees produce when there is insufficient space or when the spacing between frames is not optimal. This is their way of managing the extra space by connecting frames or boxes with additional comb, which can create challenges for beekeepers in terms of hive management and inspection. The ideal spacing in a beehive allows bees to move freely and efficiently, but excessive space disrupts the natural organization of the hive. When bees encounter gaps that they cannot efficiently use, such as an excess of space, they respond by constructing this unnecessary burr comb, leading to more complicated hive structures and making it harder to inspect the frames. This illustrates the importance of maintaining proper spacing to ensure strong hive health and ease of management.