feeding new package question

[MikeG]

Hello Everyone.

I'm feeding a new package of bees on new foundation.  It seems that they overindulge on the sugar water and fill so many cells with it that it leaves little room (empty cells) for the queen to lay eggs.  Is this nothing to worry about?  I noticed the same apparent problem on my last package.  Thanks for suggestions.

Mike

[Brian D. Bray]

That is a common occurrance with packages and swarms when feeding.  To give the queen room to lay eggs in the comb it is necessary to curb the feeding.  I feed 1 gallon of syrup and then wait a week, check the hive and install the feeder again.    When bees are accumulating nectar or syrup fast they tend to try to store it.  By interrupting the feeding process you force the bees to use some of that stored honey or nectar to build more comb, which in turn, opens up cells for the queen to lay in. 

Constant, continuous feeding can inhibit a hive rather than help it.  Feed a gallon then wait a few days before feeding again.  I do it with the feeder on one week, off the next, in one gallon cans.  That is 1 gallon per week of syrup.

[sc-bee]

I basically had the same question about splits. Our flow is over for the year (what there was of it). I have a friend that was still feeding heavy and it seems to have induced swarm cells. Or she waited too late to change a nuc to ten frames and two weeks after changing them --- queen cells all over --- at all stages.

We put some cells in a hive that needs a new queen, we left cells for the parent hive, and put the old queen in a nuc and moved to a new location. Would like to try and get nuc to build up some foundation. Will feed nuc dry pollen.

Is the same above true for splits. Feed a gallon or so a week, wait a week and feed more. I have the same backfilling problem when I try to have comb built without a flow. Any secrets :?

What if I just want to draw surplus comb from a hive after flow. Can it be done by feeding. 

I have heard of folks having them draw and fill and then move them away to be robbed. Is there a better way? It has also been suggested I feed 1:2 (sugar to water)?

How do I feed to draw comb and not syrup bind the queen? I am like every beekeeper I never have enough drawn comb.

[sc-bee]

Deleted duplicate post ---- sorry :shock:

[Brian D. Bray]

Interrupting the feeding works the best to answer all your questions.

A honey bound hive will swarm as honey bound is one type of overcrowding, just like with population.

Treat splits, packages, and swarms the same way, it simplifies things.

Comb building depends on 3 things:
1. Need for the queen to have space for laying eggs for hive growth.
2. Adequate nectar source to force bees to fill existing storage space and begin building new.
3. Bees only build "under their feet,"  so if the population isn't sufficient to expand the hive into a new area they will not draw comb but turn to storage.  that's why allowing the queen to use as much of the comb within the brood chamber for brood is important in hive development.

As long the nectar source remains and the population continues to increase the bees will build comb.  Once the nectar source ends so will the brood production and the bees will cease to build comb.

There is one way around this, it also helps in swarm prevention: Bees will almost always draw comb in the brood chamber.
If you remove the 2 outer storage frames  (1 & 10) from the hive and slide frames 2,3, 8, & 9 to the outsides and insert new frames the bees will build brood comb as this places empty frames within the confines of the brood nest.  The brood nest is normally frames 3,4,5,6, 7 & 8 but with a prolific queen it can include 1 side (the inside) of frames 2 & 9.

After a flow the nectar gathered is generally used for capping of stores.  If you want them to continue to draw combs you must place the nectar (syrup) source outside the hive so that it mimics a minor flow (aka community feeding) as it is the forage of nectar and pollen that creates the demand.  Internal feeding, past a short period when beginning the hive, will not cause the bees to build comb as anything inside the hives is considered stores.

[sc-bee]

Thanks guys!