Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: javah on March 12, 2010, 02:27:17 PM

Title: Help
Post by: javah on March 12, 2010, 02:27:17 PM
 I checked on my bees today and they built comb and laid eggs between my super and medium. All the bees look to be drones. Why did they do this and what can I do to prevent it in the future.   O this is my first year for bees so take it easy on me.

Thanks for any help
Title: Re: Help
Post by: John Schwartz on March 12, 2010, 02:57:11 PM
Sounds like you have a missing/failing queen and laying workers. The hive won't last long at this point.
Title: Re: Help
Post by: javah on March 12, 2010, 03:04:20 PM
I did see two queen cells that were open.  The bottom brood box is almost full of brood so I definitely have a queen.
Title: Re: Help
Post by: Kathyp on March 12, 2010, 03:30:47 PM
depends on what kind of brood it is.  if it's all drone brood, you may not/probably don't have a queen.  if it's worker brood, you are probably ok.  drone brood in burr comb is pretty common.  drone brood when they are making a queen is common. 

you are using foundation?  they probably made burr comb for drone brood because they could make it the size they wanted.

Title: Re: Help
Post by: jclark96 on March 12, 2010, 06:35:56 PM
I vote for spring drone build up.
Title: Re: Help
Post by: iddee on March 12, 2010, 06:43:57 PM
I think you are giving us a poor description.
Is all your brood drone brood, or just what is in the burr comb? Are all bees in the hives drones, or do you mean the larva is drone?
A medium is a super, so give a better description of the boxes.
Title: Re: Help
Post by: bee-nuts on March 13, 2010, 03:43:09 AM
They like to build drone comb on bottom of frames. 
Title: Re: Help
Post by: Michael Bush on March 13, 2010, 07:09:12 AM
I would do nothing about it at all.   It's normal.  Look for Varroa when you break them open by prying each frame down before lifting off the box.