[JustinH]

I installed a package 22 days ago on 8 frame medium foundationless frames and today I added another 8 frame foundationless medium box because the original has been drawn out on all 8 frames. But I added the new box below the original. Should I have put it on top? My thought was bees build down. But I just reread Beekeeping For Dummies and it says to add the new box on top. Should I go back now and do this or leave it alone? Remember my frames are foundationless. Thanks!

 

[bandjhoneyshack]

This is my first year, but everything I I read is that they build up.

 

[JustinH]

Yeah I messed up. I just went and fixed it. I thought I could do it without relighting my smoker or wearing gloves. Bad idea. They lit my finger up. It's hard to type my finger is swelling so much. Lesson learned.

 

[beemartin]

it depends... I nadir my Warre hive, but you can nadir(put it under) or super (put it on top)... if you put it under, brood will have been in the comb up top (not an issues unless you want cut comb honey) because you are moving the brood nest up when you add the new box, and they build it down into the new box again...

 

[merince]

Well, adding on top is easier usually. You can also alternate the drawn frames and the undrawn frames - that will minimize comb drawing errors.

 

[JustinH]

It got down to 38 degrees here last night. I sure hope there were enough bees to keep the brood warm in the one frame that I place in the new box as a ladder because my frames are foundationless.

 

[iahawk]

Famous last words dept.: "I'm just going to be quick, I can do this without smoke..."
'nuff said

Yep, probably best to put the new box on top. The queen will work both ways, though. In a Warre' hive, new boxes are put on the bottom under the theory that the queen prefers to lay on freshly drawn comb. I've found she will lay wherever there is space, and I've never had a problem getting enough brood given adequate space within the hive and decent environmental conditions.

 

[Michael Bush]

> But I added the new box below the original. Should I have put it on top?

With foundationless I always put the second box on the bottom. If I were to put it on top I would want some drawn comb in that box for a ladder.

>My thought was bees build down.

Bees di build down. No one adds space to the top of a tree...

>But I just reread Beekeeping For Dummies and it says to add the new box on top.

The nice thing about adding them to the top is you don't have to lift the boxes to get to the bottom and you can see if it's full...

> Should I go back now and do this or leave it alone?

I would have left it.

>Remember my frames are foundationless.

Especially since it's foundationless. Otherwise they may build up from the bottom bars...