Bees not drawing comb on new foundation.

[rlyon]

This is my second year with bees. The first year my goal was to have them survive the winter, and I succeeded. I was looking forward to having my bees make honey this year but for some reason I cannot get them to draw out comb on the new foundation. The medium supers have been in place for more than a month. I sprayed the foundation with sugar water prior to installing the medium super on each hive. The frames have pierco wax coated foundation. I am feeding sugar water to stimulate wax production but nothing is happening. I am looking for suggestions. Thanks in advance.

[Jim134]

Do you have a Queen Excluder on the hive  :? 




    BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)

[gunner7888]

 I have found "painting" a new frame with some wax helps tremendously.

[Hemlock]

You can place the super between 2 brood boxes to spur them on.  I have also heard that a frame of brood placed in the super can get them to start drawing comb. 

[rlyon]

I am using a queen excluder and the foundation in my frames is wax coated.

[hardwood]

Take the excluder off until they start to draw comb. Bees don't always want to cross the excluder. Giving them something to cross it for often helps.

Scott

[tillie]

You don't have a location stated - depending on where you are, the bees won't draw comb if you are not feeding them and there is no nectar flow......but that depends on your location.

Linda T located in Atlanta but now in the N GA mountains

[Finski]

.
Supers have been over a month

has it swarmed

has the hive brood frames and how much

how many frames are covered by bees

it is summer and you feed the hive. 

[Brian D. Bray]

Read entry #8 for an explanation of the problem: 

http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,31431.0/prev_next,prev.html#new

[Kathyp]

get rid of the excluder. 

[rlyon]

Thanks for all the feedback relating to my issue.

I have removed the queen excluder from each hive. I kept the hive top feeder in place for the time being. At what point should I re-install the queen excluder?

[Kathyp]

lots of us don't use them at all.  if you are doing comb honey, you might want to, but wait until they draw out at least part of the foundation.

i wait until there is a band of honey over the brood then i put the supers on.  rarely will the queen cross that honey and if you make sure she has enough room to lay in the brood boxes you are good.  should she lay in the honey super, you just wait until that brood is hatched...or if you are using all the same size frames, move the brood down and replace with other frames.

you are leaving the feeder on with feed?  or just as a barrier to the honey supers? 

[iddee]

If you feed while the honey supers are on, you will be eating sugar water, not honey.

[rlyon]

I checked my bees one week after removing the queen excluder. The bees are finally drawing comb, albeit at a very slow pace (less than 2 frames of comb per super). I also noticed some cross comb in what they have drawn.

I am located in SW Missouri (El Dorado Springs) so if there is anyone else from my area maybe you can advise me about peak nectar flow or any other info that may be helpful.

Thanks again for all the help.

[caticind]

You say you want honey this year, but if you are feeding with the honey supers on, you will not get honey.  Instead you will be eating condensed sugar syrup.

The bees will draw comb when they need space to store nectar.  That's why feeding stimulates comb drawing.  Sounds like there's no flow where you are at present...

[L Daxon]

To summarize:

-Don't feed with honey supers on.  You may get comb but it will be filled with sugar water.

-Avoid using a queen excluder -- certainly don't need it while you are just waiting for them to draw comb.  It slows the girls down and the queen wouldn't move up unless there was comb to lay in anyway.  About the only time I use mine anymore is when I am trying to trap a queen to keep

-If they aren't drawing comb it is because they don't need it.  They only draw out as much comb as they can cover population wise.  If there is no flow, they don't need to draw comb because nothing in coming in and no storage space is needed.  If there is a good flow on and you have a strong population, the girls can draw out, fill and cap a shallow supper a week for several weeks in a row.  They move fast when they need to, slow down when they don't.

Linda D

[organicfarmer]

get rid of the excluder. 

Altogether !

[Bee-Bop]

I am located in SW Missouri (El Dorado Springs) so if there is anyone else from my area maybe you can advise me about peak nectar flow or any other info that may be helpful.

Ask around, do you have a MFA, Extension Office, if you attend services ask the minister, also the local cop and the sheriff. You can probably think of others also.
They probably can tell you who has bees in your neighborhood.

Most beekeepers will be glad to help/answer questions.

Bee-Bop

[Jim134]

I checked my bees one week after removing the queen excluder. The bees are finally drawing comb, albeit at a very slow pace (less than 2 frames of comb per super). I also noticed some cross comb in what they have drawn.

I am located in SW Missouri (El Dorado Springs) so if there is anyone else from my area maybe you can advise me about peak nectar flow or any other info that may be helpful.

Thanks again for all the help.

You may be able to get some local abvise on nectar flows in Missouri.

BEEKEEPERS ASSOC OF THE OZARKS
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Dave Kayser
Phone: (417) 547-2338
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EASTERN MISSOURI BKPRS ASSOC
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JEFFERSON COUNTY BKPRS ASSOC
Jim Buxton
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Tanya Fisher
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Rodney Angell
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Gene Wood
3507 Cedar Run Rd
Bonne Terre, MO 63628
Phone: 573-431-1436




                BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)

[stella]

Hi everyone! I have to first off thank you all for your help. I usually find myself reading for hours (something I should avoid but you are all so knowledgeable).

My newbee Q: If You dont use a queen excluder dont you end up with eggs/ brood in the honey super? And stuff in the honey? euww.