[Zbee]

Odd thing that I am hoping you might be able to shed some light on.

I been having problems with bees building comb in a hive top feeder. They just love doing it and storing the adjacent syrup in this newly built comb. I removed a large chunk (about 4" diameter) of it the other day, and noticed it was chock full of syrup and some pollen likely from the pollen patty I left on top of the brood frames.

I figured they would not be able to recycle the comb, but would 'clean' out the comb of the goodies they stored. I tossed it in the bottom of the brood chamber and came back a few days to inspect and remove. To my amazement, the comb was completely devoid of food - but... it now had eggs in it. The comb was somewhat mangled from me taking it out with a hive tool and it was not attached to any wall - just sitting there against a wall along the screened bottom board with eggs.

I removed the bees that were on it and discarded it. I just never expected to find them using that comb for brood given it was not attached or even repairable. I am thinking that in the future I will just toss it and not attempt to recycle.

Have you seen this before?

 

[Rader Sidetrack]

It may be that they do not like the foundation that you [presumably] are using, particularly if it is a plastic variety. Building comb in 'odd' places allows them to build what they want.

What kind of foundation are you using, and are they drawing it?

 

[Zbee]

Foundation - less. They are definitely building out the frames in the hive - looks nice and straight, even with the wayward comb builders up in the feeder slowing progress. I found eggs in the comb on the frames. Just appears an overzealous queen growing impatient with the slow comb building progress.

 

[BeeTech]

Seems like a good way to get them to pre-process the wax for you. have them get all the sugar and pollen out of it for you. Downside is that you loose some eggs, but then eggs haven't used much resources yet anyway.