I had posted another message about my bees not drawing comb in the second brood chamber, Is it possible or even a good idea with disease problems to buy empty frames of comb?
I dont know any beekeepers in my area and was thinking since the chamber already has many bees on empty foundation it would speed things up, I used all the comb I had in the first brood chamber. I'll treat comb in the future like gold.
Or should I leave well enough alone and let the bees manage themselves?
Jimmy
you could buy plastic drawn out frames. there are some problems with introduction but still, you could.
don't really know about the drawn out wax frames but probably you could.
Or you can swap one of the drawn combs/frames with brood with one of the frames of foundation in the 2nd box, this will bait them up.
And keep feeding 1:1 until the 2nd box is drawn out. They generally draw quicker when fed.
Rick
If there is no excluder in their way, they will draw come when they need it. They will not draw it if they don't need it.
Scadsobees ,
your advice worked great, the upper hive body is 75% drawn out and capped, I did a check last saturday, there was some brood on a frame in the upper so I guess the queen is working bottom and top? I went ahead and put a shallow super on but since its the end of august Im not sure what they will do in the short amount of time left. they have been going through 2 gallons of sugar water a week but have slowed down on it in the past 2 weeks. they have been really good but occassionally will hover in my face and will follow me all the way to the house (very weird, always just one bee for some reason) if I dont leave, the one bee will try to sting my face or neck, they never bother my bare legs or arms, now I usually wear the veil near the hive, I didnt need too until lately.
Jimmy
Jimmy, the bee or bees that are interested in flying by your head or neck are there because of the co2 that we breathe out. That's why its always good to at least wear a veil around bees.