what to do with "overdrawn comb"?

[Bees&Wood]

Split a strong hive a few weeks ago, and had to put some frames w/ bare wax foundation in med's. Placed them in say the 2 and 9 positions. Made another small split off same hive after finding new queen in hive, as well as more intact queen cells, so then had to put another bare foundation frame or two in the hive. Well, it seems the bees decided to 'overdraw' the existing frames of comb out and store in, versus drawing the foundation out. So now, the comb that was existing is very fat, and they're capping it. Problem is, the new foundation can't/hasn't been drawn very far at all since the neighboring is in it's space, and they're capping it with what honey is in it, even though it's probably not even half the thickness that it should be (if that).

I can't really manipulate the frames around much, since they kinda fit together like a puzzle now. So my question is, what do I do? We just got the hives last year, so I have no experience taking honey, much less any equipment. Should I leave them like they are, or try to get w/ a fellow beek and get help extracting the frames? Is there another option besides those 2? And what about the frames that they haven't drawn out much, but are capping...any hope for those? (I have several of both the overdrawn and underdrawn frames)
Thanks for any help.

[Aerindel]

Crush and strain and let them draw new comb next year.

[Oldtimer]

Don't worry about it.

Not sure if these frames are in the brood nest or in honey supers. If in honey supers, when it's time to extract just do that as per normal, then when you use the combs again next year the bees will even them up. But if they are in the brood nest, once the bees need that area of comb for brood raising they will remove the honey and even up the combs, or if they never use that particular area of comb for brood the combs will just stay like that while there's honey in, but will get largely evened out once the bees use the honey in those combs, but anyhow, it doesn't really matter, except to you.

We like our hives to be "pretty", but usually they aren't.

[Acebird]

It sounds like these are honey frames ... I would slice off the big one and scratch the small one and put them back in until you are ready to extract.

[Oldtimer]

Why? Whole lot of work for nothing, it won't help them store any more honey in the box.

[KQ6AR]

Sounds like you're talking about brood frames in you're splits, that they are filling with honey. When I add new frames in the brood box I either put them between 2 drawn brood frames or on the outside.
If you don't trim them the frames next to them won't be drawn correctly. Or you can move them to the outside wall where they will be used for honey storage.
We trim ours with a serrated bred knife.
As Oldtimer said if its a honey super you're talking about, just fix it when you extract.

[Acebird]

Why? Whole lot of work for nothing,

I don't know. Maybe he wants to use the frame in the brood box and he doesn't want uneven frames. Secondly, it is easier to uncap if the frames are fully drawn.

[David LaFerney]

I don't know how helpful this is, but if you put those wide honey combs right up against some others they will trim them to fix the bee space between them.

[Bees&Wood]

Thanks for all the responses. To try to answer a few of the questions...

-I think all the 'overdrawn' frames are in 'honey supers'. I put them in the 2 and 9 position, cause I thought I had read a post talking about that's where the wax makers are located..? If they were in the brood boxes, I think they have started to use them for honey. Long story short...we saw the new queen in the box 2-3 weeks ago, did not find her yesterday and did not see any evidence of a laying queen. Per my notes (which I do not have on me right now), she 'should' have been laying. We put a frame with fresh eggs in the hive for insurance, we should know what's going on by what they're doing with that next weekend. So they may be putting a bit away in what would be brood area.

-I guess my overall concern is the future of this comb...if it will be always "messed up" (overdrawn or underdrawn) and a bit hard to deal with. I didn't know that the bees would end up evening it out. Also bee space...I can't put two of these combs up against each other and have 10 frames in the box. Like I said, it's become a puzzle and they pretty much have to be in the order they're in. The only other way to move them around and provide bee space, as least that I can figure out, is to take out an underdrawn comb and run 9 in the box.

-As for extracting...well we're not sure if we are going to take any honey or not. We have a very small split (the second split I mentioned earlier), and two new nucs we are getting started. So we are thinking about keeping all the honey for the bees, and divying it up for the winter. I guess if these frames woud always be "messed up" and the only way to "fix them" would be to extract, that would help guide our decision.

-David ---So, if I put them side by side (which means the frame side edges will not be able to touch as is the norm) there will be no bee space between the capped comb and they will fix that? Do I have to worry about them building burr comb between the top rails, or side bars?

Sorry so long and wordy...and like Oldtimer said, I probably am concerned with something that's really nothing. Thanks to you all for your responses and help.

[schmism]

It sounds like these are honey frames ... I would slice off the big one and scratch the small one

Id do the same but id wait untill it was capped and just take the honey. Slice off the fat one and they should build out the thin one next time.

[Bsweet]

If you cut the overdrawn frames and reinstall them without extracting you will end up with a real mess with honey leaking into the hive which will draw ants and possibly start robbing.the underdrawn comb will get fixed with or without your help it just takes time.
If it was my hive and the overdrawn comb was in a honey super and capped I would extract those frames and return them to a honey super and make sure they were tight together to prevent overdrawing. If they are in a brood box I would leave them alone until spring when they are empty and then trim them back or if still full then I would extract them and return them to service.The underdrawn comb will in time be extended out as they should be. Jim

[David LaFerney]

They will fix the bee space if you put them too close together to suit the bees. If you can put an overdrawn honey frame next a frame with brood they will trim it very quickly in my experience, but even if it is 2 honey frames they will fix it so they can get between.

You make a lot of extra work for the bees so don't go nuts.

If this results in space between frames they might build burr comb, but in my area the main wax building time is winding down already.

[Acebird]

If you cut the overdrawn frames and reinstall them without extracting you will end up with a real mess with honey leaking into the hive which will draw ants and possibly start robbing.the underdrawn comb will get fixed with or without your help it just takes time.
If it was my hive and the overdrawn comb was in a honey super and capped I would extract those frames and return them to a honey super and make sure they were tight together to prevent overdrawing.

I think we need a test on this one. Uncap a frame and set it in the standard position and see what kind of a mess it makes. Without heating, honey doesn't run to quick from the comb in the standard position. Robbing? inside the hive?

Many people space their frames in the super so the comb is drawn out past the frames making it easier to uncap.

[Oldtimer]

I think we need a test on this one.

Heck Ace it's not like it's never been done. Most of the advice in this thread is from peoples own experience and I'm pretty sure Bsweet has been there and done that, agree with his advice totally.

Yes, robbing can happen inside a hive. What can happen when people clean up combs in this way (and I have seen this), is honey runs down onto the bottom board and out the front of the hive. Once it's out the front it's away from where bees will defend it, robbing starts and then even a strong hive can be robbed out.

[Acebird]

Come on, a single frame of honey...

[Oldtimer]

I don't know how much honey is involved in this case.

If someone wants to do this it can be done, but the potential for robbing needs to be considered. May not happen, but it can, so the beekeeper needs to figure out if it will or not before going ahead. Less likely for a hobbyist with one hive, than in a bee yard of many hives.

[Bsweet]

Think about it Ace, spilled syrup IN THE hive, open feeding or a strong hive -vs- a weak hive CAN lead to robbing, and the robbing ain't all done on the landing board its done IN THE HIVE.
For someone that often post questions or I MESSED UP AGAIN you sure like to throw mud. Jim

[Bees&Wood]

I appreciate all the comments, suggestions and discussion. However, I think I will pass on the open honey experimentation. Haven't decided exactly how I'm going to deal with the comb yet, but I have decided one way that I'm not...I do not need to do anything to promote robbing....

[Michael Bush]

My problem when I did this was figuring out how to get the fat combs out since they wouldn't clear the frames. I finally figure out I could flip the box upside down and remove the box from the frames first and then pull each frame off the end. You can then uncap and take the excess off if you want to extract or crush and strain the whole thing if you have no extractor available. If your intent is to leave it for winter, it would still be nice to get rid of the walls of foundation between the drawn combs so I would still flip it upside down and pull all of those and put them back so that the faces of the combs have 1/4" or more between them.

[Acebird]

Less likely for a hobbyist with one hive, than in a bee yard of many hives.

We just got the hives last year, so I have no experience taking honey, much less any equipment.

I assumed a hobbyist. Would somebody with many hives and years of experience let this happen?