I just did a hive check today. I added a second brood box last week. The first brood box was full of nice natural comb, all the frames built perfectly. But thats not the case on the second box. When I initially opened it I didn't see anything and thought it was strange they weren't building. Then I pulled up a frame and saw the bees were building from the bottom up :? In the first box they went bottm down no problem, but I don't know how building bottom up is going to work. One frame looked ok, was built up about 3-4" but the one I pulled out had a small peice of comb (about 4"x4") and it tipped over when I pulled the frame up, so I scraped it off in hopes they would start again from the top.
Has anyone else run into this? Would it be a good idea for me to put a couple full frames in this box and a couple empties in the original box and maybe that would give them some struture to climb and they will start building right? or should I take all the frames with bottom up comb out and remove the comb? or is it possible they can go bottom up and build a successful comb?
Help :)
ok I just read Michael Bush site and realized I should have one drawn frame up top so they can get access to the top and have a guide to go by.
I'm going to head out and put a full frame in there now.
Thank you Michael for your website. I use it for reference ALL the time.
Best of luck there!
Have been reading your posts regarding natural comb. Wishing I went that route with my bees. But am taking notes from these posts and will give it a try next year! :)
Quote from: marliah on June 10, 2008, 02:31:20 PM
ok I just read Michael Bush site and realized I should have one drawn frame up top so they can get access to the top and have a guide to go by.
I'm going to head out and put a full frame in there now.
Thank you Michael for your website. I use it for reference ALL the time.
Thanks for posting this, for i would have never knew to do that and surely would have did it wrong to.
I think that's why my hives are drawing the second deeps so slowly. Tomorrow will be frame swap day!