Too much sugar syrup??

[MikeG]

Hello Beekeeps!

At the end of two weeks, I'm proud of how much comb I've got.  Unfortunately, it seems to be almost all full of sugar syrup.  There are eggs.  But not what it seems there should be.  The queen looked kind of frantic - like she was desperate to find an empty cell.

Now, maybe that is my imagination, because I don't know what a frantic vs calm queen looks like.

I've taken them off the syrup (hive-top feeder).  It seems there is enough in the comb they can eat if they get hungry.  I could put them back on it in a week or two if necessary.


What do you all think?

Mike

[Stingtarget]

I would suggest adding a shallow super and removing the feeder for a couple of weeks.  The bees will use some of the stored syrup to draw comb in the shallow super freeing up space for the queen to lay.  As she begins to fill these cells, the workers will move more syrup up into the shallow that now has drawn comb.

If you have a weaker hive you can swap a frame of syrup in the brood box from the strong hive for a frame of comb or foundation.

[MikeG]

Add a super even though there are still 5 frames in the deep that are not drawn yet?

[Stingtarget]

Since you have 5 frames that are not drawn out yet I am guessing they are the outside frames as the bees will draw from the middle out.  Don't add another super yet.  Take one of the outside frames and place it between the first two drawn out frames being careful not to roll or kill the queen.  Start on the side that is drawn out farthest from the middle.  You don't want to break up the brood nest completely.  This will speed the bees up in getting all 10 frames drawn more quickly.  I'd keep an eye on them and maybe move one frame of foundation each week and placing it between the two outtermost drawn frames.

With foundation moved inside the drawn comb the bees will quit storing so much syrup and will use it instead to draw out another frame. 

[Finsky]

.
How old that hive has been? Does it has capped brood?

You have a package 3 lbs which have occupied 5 frames and now it is full of syrup?

You have real summer there and bees should gather food from nature. http://www.wunderground.com/US/MO/Matthews.html

That kind of hive needs 1  full frame food for bad days. Other frames should be for pollen and brood.

What I would do now:

* put deviding board into hive so you have room for 5-6 frames.
* Put two syrup frames in the middle which have brood or 3 if  3th has brood.
* put 3 foundations

* put 3 syrup frames into store
* DON'T feed colony not a bit during whole summer!

System is that brood are in the middle and bees enlarge the brood area. They take syrup and they draw combs so much as they need.

You may enlarge the hives after 4 weeks from starting when new bees emerge.

You cannot force them draw more combs than the size of colony. If you do however, you are in troubles. Colony swarms or it cannot grow bigger.
These small colonies are difficult enough to experienced beekeeper because they fill quickly combs with honey.

If you get swarm you may join it to the colony and it get a good start or you gives extra syrup frames to the swarm and the rest foundations. The swarm draw foundations and then give to the package.

[Finsky]

This will speed the bees up in getting all 10 frames drawn more quickly.   

If it is 3 lbs package, there is no sence to force them draw 10 foundations.  5-6 is normal. Hive cannot use more space than it occupies.
When hive gets new workers, it is time to give new foundations but little by little.

There is no help to the colony if it occupies syrup cells.

[MikeG]

Thanks very much.  I do appreciate the advice / help!

Mike