bees failed comb building class

[theBeeLord]

i added a 3rd box to my hive that went through the winter and is now growing.  not sure what the deal is - but when it comes to the 3rd box the bees are either building down (as in 3rd box frames to 2nd box frames) or sideways.  literally ripping out comb and drawing it sideways between frames.
do i need to just pull out the messed up frames and give them fresh ones?
i use wax foundation.  the one with the vertical metal wires. never had a problem with them before.

not sure if i need to act now before it gets worse, or if they'll fix it themselves.
thanks.

[Vance G]

It won't get better and I would advise salvaging what you can but put the frames with foundation as tight together as you can.  Is you flow happening to be coming to an end?  That often results in poorly drawn comb. 

[Robo]

not sure if i need to act now before it gets worse, or if they'll fix it themselves.

You should never use the word "never"  with one exception.

Bees will never "fix" a bad comb situation.  To them it is not a bad,  but what they want.  Address it now before it becomes worse.

Due you have proper bee space between the top of the 2nd box frames and the bottom of the 3rd box frames?  Sometimes if your using boxes made by different manufactures the bees space gets messed up.


Rob....

[sc-bee]

No they won't fix it ..... it will only get worse. You already said you are using wired foundation. If they are drawing comb but not in the correct place it sounds like a beespace (spacing issue). How many frames in what size box etc do you have? Remember in a ten frame box ten frames of foundation in a ten frame box etc. Don,t short them one... Drawing from top box to below box again sounds like a spacing issue. Have you mixed and matched boxes etc. Sometimes they will just draw a little burr comb from up to down, no real issue. But the cross frames will be a nightmare :shock:

[sc-bee]

For some reason robo's reply was not there when I started. Didn't know I typed that slow. Yea what robo said :-D

[theBeeLord]

so i'm using 8 frame deeps.
the 2nd box is from Kelly's bees, the 3rd is from Dedant.  go figure.

so do i just yank the frames out and put new ones in? or just cut the "warped" comb out of the frame?  do i try to string some fishing line to hold the comb straight?  just not sure where to start -- well, and do the least amount of damage.

[sc-bee]

If the space from top to bottom is because of different manufactures frames/ boxes etc you will have to make a decision if you can live with it. Or if a wood worker possible to shave the odd box, whichever one it may be (?) which would not be an option for me. A little burr comb between boxes I can live with.

The cross building you will have to tear down and correct best you can. You may be able to salvage some of it. Any holes you leave in the frames could very likely be filled with larger drone comb if hey fill it at all. Sometime they will some times not. It depends on the flow and what your bees need this time of year.

Hard to say without seeing it what you can salvage. Remember when using foundation push a full box of frames tightly together in the center until drawn.