messed up

[beegee]

I have one hive with pretty little yellow bees. I think I got the queen from Ohio last year. Anyway, I've been feeding them 2:1 sugar water w/HBH and they have been building up strong. I popped the top off yesterday to remove the feeder jar and when I looked into the shallow super, they had two frames in the center where they had ignored the wax foundation(I have other hives with Duragilt, etc)and built all kinds of crazy tunnel comb between the two frames. Soft yellow wax, mostly drone comb, full of brood. When I pulled the frames out, the combs fell out of the frames. I think the best course of action is to remove those messed-up frames and give them some new foundation, along with another deep hive body to expand the brood nest. Any thoughts?

[BeeBear]

Did you have more than the usual amount of space between the two frames? If so, I'd suggest pushing the frames together and leaving the extra space at one or both ends. This may prevent the problem in the future.

Yes, removing these frames and replacing with new foundation is what I'd do. I would clean off the ones that came out and put them back another time.

By the way, most folks feed with 1:1 syrup in the Spring, not 2:1.

[Michael Bush]

Sounds like you asessed it well. I'd remove the messed up comb and put in frames with foundation. Crowd the frames all together tightly in the center of the box, at least until they are drawn. If you space them evenly you allow them to build comb between more easily.

Also sounds like they want to build drone comb. I always let them rather than fight them. An empty frame between two drawn frames will let them build some or a gap at the bottom of the foundation would let them build some.

[beegee]

I had 9 frames in a shallow. It's the only shallow I have, the rest are mediums. I'd have to take out the frame spacers to use 10 frames until they draw it out. I may just go ahead and snatch the frame spacers out, since I don't have any in the rest of my hives.

[Michael Bush]

9 frame spacing is probably the cause of your problem.

[BubbaBob]

I use 9 frame spacers in all deeps as well as honey supers, regardless of whether it is an established colony or a newly installed nuc or split. Problems seem minimal. The only time I have other than 9 frames in the brood chamber is overwintering when I replace one of the side frames with a frame feeder on all the hives.

BTW, you might consider going to 1:1 and pollen...I only use 2:1 to feed overwinter.

BubbaBob