Okay, I was hoping I didn't have to ask this question, but the more I read, the more opinions that I see about this subject. I realize that they follow the honey stores over the Winter, but which way will they go in the Spring, higher or lower. If I add a super right now without drawn comb, with the bottom brood boxes partially empty of honey, brood , eggs, etc. Which way do you folks think that they will go. Thanks
Try this scenario. A swarm issues and moves into a tree. The cluster hangs from the top of the hollow space. Where do they build their nest? At the top because they can't defy gravity. Now as the hive expands which way do they move? Down. There is no other way to go.
Now you put a package in a box and when it's full you add another box. Now what? They move up. Why? Because there is no other way to go.
Which way to bees move? Where there is space
In the spring the bees come out of cluster at the top of the brood chamber, that can be as many as 4 medium boxes or the equivelant. Usually most of the space between them and the entrance (assuming bottom entrances) are boxes with drawn but empty combs. The bees will fill those with honey, pollen, and brood in the spring as enough bees are reared to cover the combs. Mine are 3 mediums hive and the bees have worked down to the 2nd box with the one nearest the entrance still empty because I split them early.
In another week or so they have filled the hive with brood and I'll have to super, if the rain holds off, it's been a wet spring.
Basically: bees will build combs from the top down, they will draw combs on foundationless frames faster than drawing comb any other way, and bees will not build comb until they have enough bees to cover the comb as they build it.