Help - Honey comb built in all the wrong places

[noelb]

If reached 90f here two days ago and I had gobs of bees hanging out of three hives too lethargic to work... I swung into action on the only hive I could immediately handle. I wired and embedded foundation into ten frames in a new box and proceeded to open what started as a four frame nucleus in a 10 frame box on the 18th October with a new Golden Italian queen.

A large amount of bees were hanging from the suspended landing board. I opened the lid and found dripping comb covering the frames. My fault:( the space between the inner cover and frames is about 5/8 inch.

In the panic of the moment and not wanting to scrape all the sticky mess off of the top of the frames I placed the new box on top with foundation. the frames sat on top of the mess (didn't quite fit) and I then placed the rest of the mess on top... Hoping the bees will clean it up.

I don't know how the queen is - didn't bother to look for her. Opened Supered and closed the hive.

All bees were in the hive next day with the cooler weather.

Same deal with my other three storey hive... No honey in lid as I have placed a mat across the top of the frames (something we do downunder and it prevents bees building in the lid. No innercover on this hive. But they had built comb between the frames of the second and third storeys. I rearranged frames to put capped comb on the outside. Today I slid the third story sideways 7/8 inch each way to, in my mind, break the comb so that they will clean it up and store it in the proper place. I plan to undersuper by placeing a box of foundation ontop of the Brood box under both other supers tommorow.

Questions

What should I expect the bees will have done with the mess - Stored it in the uncapped frames if there is room?

Is there anything I could have done differently?

What can I do to correct anything I have done so far?

When I open the third hive tomorrow in about 12 hours I am expecting some more of the same. What are some options to avoid mess? I was also planning to under super this hive with a box of foundation.

Any advice gladly accepted.

BTW they have been on a good honey flow for the last 8 weeks or so...

[iddee]

#1...correct your bee space.

#2...don't allow them to run out of space when the flow is on.

[Brandy]

I would clean up the mess of the burr comb built between the frames and hive bodies and clean off the inner cover. Try and stay ahead by giving more space. All the mess that you clean up can be fed back above the inner cover and an extra super within a day or so. Hopefully once you clean up the mess your frames and hive bodies will fit together better.

[ScadsOBees]

You did fine. 5/8th of an inch is a little large, but when they are out of space they will build comb anywhere and everywhere. Sometimes it is hard to stay on top of it, especially when trying to figure out the honeyflows.

Scrape or leave, eventually you will need to clean it up. Typically the queen won't be way up there, so that isn't a huge concern (not impossible, though). Just check on them in a few days to make sure they are drawing out the new foundation correctly.

It is a pain to clean up, though.

Rick

[Ravenseye]

Scrape it up as best you can. The bees will clean up any honey that they find. Give them space before they need it and they'll be fine. You'll always get a little burr comb here and there so don't expect perfection from them!

[noelb]

Thanks for your advice.

Last year this time when I opened my one hive to get honey for Christmas, it was empty, there was no honey. This year... :scratch:

I'll put the advice together and develop a plan of action.

I normally buy flat pack supers and nail them together but I bought some commercial grade built up supers. They are great for an emergency like this but a bit rougher than I am used to - lots of knot holes and splits to putty up:(