DOOUGH! I forgot the frames!Now what?

[mwjohnson]

Well,I would like to ask a question that about a little problem that I hope I don't have,but will know for sure when I open them up tomorrow.

You see,I think I forgot to install 3 frames in this one hive.I was going to combine it with another hive last fall but couldn't,due to getting messed up pretty good in an accident.

It is a medium super on a deep hive body.It is a colony that I started with an extra queen that I had banked,and didn't have high hopes for,but seems to be doing well,judging by the entrance activity.

Anyway,I gave all my hives 2 global patties and 1:2 syrup with HBH today but thought better about opening this one up at the last minute,until I was better prepared with some drawn frames and decided to just embarrass myself in front of the whole world and see what you all thought. redface.gif

Has anyone else been in this situation?

What should I expect?Will the combs(the missing frames) be attached to the inner cover? Will they have support from the deep frames under them and/or the sides of the super and remove the I.C.?

I hope those combs are broodless,cause then I plan on removing all the frames,setting them in a new super with drawn combs to fill it out,but they are located(I think)on the south side of the hive,exactly where most of my other hives clusters were located.

IF they are in the deep hive body I have/could swap the medium for a deep with honey(plan B)

Sure would like to hear your ideas.

Thanks Mark Johnson
Like some have said,"if your 'gonna be stupid,you better be tough"

[ March 27, 2006, 05:20 PM: Message edited by: mwjohnson ]

[Kishwaukee Goldminer]

Prepare to see some burr comb in that empty space, MW. But settling the matter now will be better than waiting, when they'll have built even more burr comb in there! (Been there; done that.)

Perhaps you could clear the area for those frames you should've put in before, and put any burr comb above a queen excluder. The nurse bees should stay with the brood, but no further laying will occur so you will be able to get the burr comb out in a couple of weeks without losing any new bees. Then you can (hopefully) proceed normally.

Good luck!

[BULLSEYE BILL]

I doubt that the bees have drawn any wax at all. It's been winter and there has been no flow to entice them to make any wax and no need for comb.

[fhafer]

I helped a gentleman this weekend that had a similar problem. He installed four shallow super frames in one of his hive bodies late last summer to get them drawn out.......and subsequently forgot about them. I cut the burr comb off the bottom of the shallow frames and rubber-banded it to four other shallow (empty) frames. I'll go back in a week and cut the rubber bands. The burr comb was full of brood so we placed the shallow super under the hive body. I'll try to rotate the shallow out later this summer when the move up and place it above a queen excluder this fall.

If you are careful you can cut out the burr comb and wire/rubberband it to an empty frame.

[BULLSEYE BILL]

> I'll go back in a week and cut the rubber bands.

No need to, the bees will chew the bands off and carry them out.

[Michael Bush]

>What should I expect?Will the combs(the missing frames) be attached to the inner cover?

If they drew them, yes.

>Will they have support from the deep frames under them

Doubtful.

> and/or the sides of the super and remove the I.C.?

IC? They are probably a little connected on the sides.

>I hope those combs are broodless,cause then I plan on removing all the frames,setting them in a new super with drawn combs to fill it out,but they are located(I think)on the south side of the hive,exactly where most of my other hives clusters were located.

If they have brood or they are empty they tie into empty frames fine. If they are full of honey, they seldom will hold up.