Glossary
Beeswax comb that has been fully built out by bees on foundation or as natural comb. Drawn comb is considered a beekeeper's most valuable reusable asset because producing it requires enormous colony resources: approximately 6 to 8 pounds of honey and significant metabolic energy to secrete 1 pound of beeswax.
When bees receive a frame of empty foundation, they must consume honey, metabolize the sugars through their wax glands, secrete tiny wax scales, and painstakingly shape each scale into perfectly engineered hexagonal cells. This process diverts a significant portion of the colony's energy and honey stores from other activities like brood rearing and honey storage.
A colony given drawn comb (pre-built comb returned from a previous season) can immediately begin storing nectar or raising brood without any construction delay. This head start can mean the difference between capturing a nectar flow and missing it. It is not an exaggeration to say that drawn comb can double a colony's first-year honey production compared to starting on foundation.
Given its value, protecting drawn comb during storage and between seasons is essential. The primary threats are wax moths (which can destroy stored comb in days to weeks), mice, and physical damage from improper handling. Proper storage methods include freezing frames for 48 hours to kill moth eggs, then storing in sealed containers or well-ventilated stacks with good light exposure.
Beekeepers who lose drawn comb to wax moths or neglect are essentially throwing away pounds of honey and weeks of bee labor. Investing in proper storage equipment and practices pays for itself many times over in preserved colony resources.
A single deep frame of drawn comb contains approximately 1 to 1.5 ounces of beeswax. Since bees consume 6 to 8 pounds of honey per pound of wax, that single frame required roughly 0.5 to 0.75 pounds of honey to produce, not including the metabolic energy of the bees doing the building.
Drawn comb is occasionally available from retiring beekeepers or beekeeping supply companies, but it is relatively rare and expensive. The risk of introducing disease through used equipment means that any purchased comb should come from a known, reputable source with no history of foulbrood or other diseases.
Freeze frames for 48 hours to kill any wax moth eggs or larvae. Then store in sealed garbage bags, plastic bins, or stacked supers with PDB crystals. Good air circulation and light exposure deter wax moths. Check stored comb monthly for signs of moth damage.
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