[mharrell11]

I noticed that the bees are eating the was foundation along the bottom. Is this common? Is there a particular reason they would do this? They have been building comb like crazy. So much so that the 2nd Deep is 7 1/2 frames full with comb on all 8. I added a medium super yesterday.

 

[Vance G]

Apparently the flow has stopped and the bees are using the foundation to finish projects that they are no longer naturally secreting wax to use. Were you going to leave them in two deeps all winter? The super unless drawn comb will suffer the same tearing down of the foundation.

 

[Bees In Miami]

They aren't eating it...they are moving it...and yes, very common. They'll build it back out when they need it.

Florida beekeeping is different...it's most common to run single deeps, then QE, then supers. Where did you get your bees? Keep an eye on that super for brood laying. Florida queens will lay, and lay. You can end up with nothing but brood. I have NO choice but to run a QE....but all of my bees are Florida ferals and survivor stock.

 

[mharrell11]

My bees are definitely Florida Bees. Bought the Nuc from a beekeeper in Jupiter. I have mostly brood at this point and was planning on adding a QE in a couple of days after the bees had time to start drawing out comb in the super.

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[FlowerPlanter]

I noticed the same thing, one of many reasons I will not use any more foundation.
After this season I will take the suppers that still have foundation replace it with popsicle sticks.

They are still drawing foundationless.

 

[Vance G]

I just can't imagine trying to extract any number of foundationless frames! I remember my first 6 5/8 supers with wired medium brood blowing out right and left and taking three frames out with them. Ok in the brood nest but a net waste of time if you are going to have any scale in the supers.

 

[Michael Bush]

>I remember my first 6 5/8 supers with wired medium brood blowing out right and left and taking three frames out with them.

Exactly. You can blow out wired medium brood exactly the same as foundationless. In both cases you need to use the same amount of care and gentleness.