I started a new hive this past Spring by purchasing a nuc. I put the five frames in a deep 10 frame brood box. I added five new empty not drawn out frames. After seeing seven of the 10 frames drawn out, I added another new not drawn out deep 10 frame brood box on top. As of July 31, there is still two not drawn out frames in the original bottom box and they have not touched the 10 on top. My question is should I remove the top box now so they can focus on completing the bottom box for a stronger winter? Or should I leave it on? Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Ps. I live in South Mississippi so if we even get freezing temperatures it won't be until November or even December.
I run all mediums so my answers are based on that. Is your queen laying a good brood pattern? If so this late in the game I would feed 1:1 sugar water with something like Honey B Healthy and a pollen paddy. My concerns are for your local local pollen and nectar availability. You are correct, the girls do need to get something built up for winter and get a good population to make the hive ready for spring. Please keep us up to date with your success. -Mike
I am still fairly new myself but I had the same problem and I swapped the outside frames with the next frame in on each side ( just make sure its not a brood frame) and that seemed to get them drawing out the last two frames on the first box. Once they had done that I took one of the brood frames from the bottom box and switched it with the middle frame of the top box and they started drawing out the upper frames. hope this helps.
Sometimes it takes a little nudge to get the bees and queen to move into another box. If your queen is laying a good solid pattern and there are plenty of bees than doing what ldeano said is probably what I would do. It would help if there is a flow going. If not than I would be tempted to feed also. If the queen's pattern is spotty than the problem may be the queen herself. In that case it might be time to requeen.
I would leave the box on and feed 1-1 sugar syrup with Pro Health or Honey Bee Healthy.
Since you are located in Mississppi I would go with a High Protein Pollen Substitute such as Mega Bee or Bee Pro.
It is a Dry Feed.
Pollen Patties this time of year are magnets for the dreaded Small Hive Beetles which are very active here in Central Arkansas.
If in September the top box still isn't filled out go with 2-1 sugar syrup.
I am feeding Dry Feed now.
(http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll312/capt44/Dry%20Feeder1a_zpsnfv0sjyt.jpg)