Brood

[dfwbeek]

Still a beek newbie, but I have what looks like a healthy colony well into its second super on honey buildup--many bees overnight outside the brood box in spite of screened bottom board.  So healthy, I thought it could support a split (I just lost other colonies to wax moths), but when I look inside, only 3 1/2 frames are built out for brood, so it seems the colony is not as large and productive as it could be.

Any suggestions on how to encourage brood frame buildout and use?  Do I need to requeen, or feed them sugar water in spite of their existing honey supply?

[OldMech]

Why is there so little brood?
   Ask yourself the basic questions and follow them through. Does she have more room to lay? Is her laying pattern good?

   If the brood frames are packed with pollen and nectar/honey she may have no more room to lay in. Remove the packed frames and give her drawn frames in the lower brood chamber. Move the honey bound frames up.  Uncap/extract honey frames if necessary to put in the brood chamber for her to lay in.
 
  If she has room to lay and is not using that room she may need replaced. Is she putting occasional drone brood among the worker brood she has? Is her pattern spotty and random? Is she injured and cant cross the frames easily?
   Usually when there is a problem with a queen the bees will replace her, but once in a while they don't. Thats when you need to step in.

[dfwbeek]

Thanks--I really appreciate the guidance.

The 3 1/2 brood frames in use have a good laying pattern.  The other 6 1/2 frames of the brood box have only foundation; I suspect she could lay more if she had more drawn frames, but I have none to offer her so I'm reliant on workers to build it up.  That's where I think the weak link is.

How can I encourage workers to draw out additional frames in brood box?  They've drawn comb nicely for honey in two honey supers.  Perhaps I remove honey supers to force them to work in the brood box?  Any other thoughts on how to get more drawn frames in the brood box?  Thanks!

[OldMech]

If they dont have 70% to 80% of the frames in their current box drawn out then they should not get a new box until they do. They will work better if their space is limited to what they need.
   Feeding them this time of year will also help give them the resources to draw comb if nectar flow is limited.
   I would uncap enough of the honey/nectar and extract them, then put them down into the brood box. Give them at least three weeks to get those frames in use and new bees emerging. Then put on ONE super and let them draw it. When it is 70 to 80% drawn give them another.  At this time of year I would also be feeding. It is late to be getting comb drawn and bees built up to overwinter, so make sure they have enough, without letting them pack the brood frames full of the syrup you are feeding. Give them a jar of syrup, but only put three holes in it. That way they HAVE what they need, but they do not get it so fast that they store it.
   Just my recomendations. Hopefully someone else will pipe in with theirs.