Foundationless frame, drone cell?

[MustbeeNuts]

Well here is my question, I have a hive that was doing so well for me I added another super, five high now + plus a double brood boxes, well I thought I would try foundation less just out of curiousity, so I put an empty frame in the middle, the bees went to that frame first, my surprise, however I was planning on it being a frame of comb honey. See just thinking,,, :-D :-D well to my surprice they have it full of drone brood, even the cell size is huge to me. Now this is a too part question please!!

1. Would the queen go up five+ supers to lay? Or could this be a laying worker that far off the brood area?( LOL guess its really a three part question,,)

2. Could they just have decided they need drones. ?? Kinda doubtful but then again, wadda I know? OH and all the oher frames that had foundation ,, there honey filled just like I expected.

3. Should I just pull that frame and chuck it? I was really hopin for a frame of comb.  :(

[Bill W.]

When you give bees their first opportunity to build their own cell size, the first thing you tend to get is drone comb, because they can't make as much as they want on foundation.  At this time of year, I don't see any reason why the queen would not be willing to head up into the supers.  But, you can check for eggs.  Multiple eggs in the cells is one sign of a laying worker.  Another is eggs on the side of the cell, rather than the bottom, since workers can't reach as far with their stubbier abdomens.

[Michael Bush]

>1. Would the queen go up five+ supers to lay?

Yes.

> Or could this be a laying worker that far off the brood area?( LOL guess its really a three part question,,)

If you see multiple eggs, yes.  Otherwise, no.

>2. Could they just have decided they need drones. ??

Always.

> Kinda doubtful but then again, wadda I know?

Not as much as the bees.

> OH and all the oher frames that had foundation ,, there honey filled just like I expected.

Because they didn't need more worker brood, they needed some drones.

>3. Should I just pull that frame and chuck it?

If you want to see them drawn more drone comb and spend more resources raising more drones.  Sure.  I wouldn't.

> I was really hopin for a frame of comb.

Leave that one and you'll probably get some for your next one.  I'd put that one in the brood nest or nearer than five boxes up.
 

[1of6]

If you have a frame of drone cells built, you could always keep it rather than cutting the comb out, and try some drone trapping to help with any V-mite problems you may have down the road.  Just tuck that frame aside and keep it for a rainy (mite-y) day.

Don't waste that frame! :)

[Pond Creek Farm]

I have a super of foundationless frames on two of my hives.  The first sits atop two deeps of plastic which are fully drawn out in wax.  The bees went straight for the center frames and put in drone cells.  The queen laid in them and they raised drones.  On every other frame to the outside, the bees have built storage comb and filled it all with honey.

[1of6]

It's all in the time of year and what they feel that they need.  In my experience, earlier in the year the bees felt that they needed more broodnest.  At this time of year they're trying to sock away stores. 

Late in the year, drone combs will be cleared of drone laying and will be backfilled with honey, just as will part of the broodnest.  That's just the way it seems to work for me.  One might have better luck drawing worker cells by situating that empty frame in the bottom area of the broodnest, but again, that's IFF your bees are in the mood to do it that way.  If you end up with drone comb, move it to the outside and they'll fill it with honey. You'll have it for next year, and you can either cut the comb out and retry, or try some drone trapping with it.

Try the foundationless frames experiment early in the year.  I think you'll be pleased with the results at the right time of the year.

Disclaimer:  I say this because this is how it went for me.  It might work differently for others in different areas at different times.  I'm just saying that these were the results and the conditions of my testing.