[NewbeeNnc]

For example if I have many open frames but my hive is very weak, will the queen only lay enough that the current nurse bees can take care of or will she lay as much as she can?

 

[Joseph Clemens]

The bees generally guide the queen to where they have prepared the comb to receive eggs. They also usually only prepare comb to receive brood in areas that they can take care of.

 

[Mike S]

Good question, I was wondering myself. Thanks for the reply.

 

[fish_stix]

If you have such a hive, then add a couple frames of capped brood with adhering bees from another hive(s) to boost them up. No sense in letting them dwindle because of low population.

 

[MikeJ]

The brood nest should stay only as big as the bees can handle. But - in warm weather this will be larger than in cold weather since fewer nurse bees are needed to keep it warm. If you get a cold snap (after laying up a larger area in warm weather) you can have "chilled brood" (death of brood because the bees contracted the are to keep the nest warm but had to allow some area cool down).