Cut comb super ?

[silvsk]

Hi there,
I have a nice hive that I got from a cut out. I live in Chaparral. I have two deeps going well. I added a cut comb shallow super. Last week,I inspected it, and they are now starting to draw comb(after I removed the QX).
So, the rain has stopped, black sage is starting to falter, with no new large nectar flow coming.
Should I pull the shallow thin surplus foundation super and put a medium in, or just see what happens?
I thank you for your response. I have been reading this forum for over one year, and have learned so much!

[Troy]

I've only done cut comb for 2 seasons, so temper my opinion with that limited experience.

In my experience though, if there was not a good nectar flow going on the bees will chew holes in that nice thin surplus and then if a flow develops later they will draw it out without a guide, leaving it not as pretty.

My second season I had a hive not finish the super during the flow and so I took it off and saved it in the freezer until this spring and put it back on.

[Joel]

Much depends on the nectar flow in your area. If you have a solid flow, preferably of a light, slow crystalizing honey upcoming in the next 2 or 3 weeks, I'd leave the cut comb super on. I would use a queen excluder since you don't want brood in the comb honey. If you do not have a traditionally strong flow on the horizon I'd remove it since bees tend to chew up thin surplus foundation and make travel stains if comb building is slow.