[len allen]

MYSTERY CELLS
About 3-4 frames in the deep brood bodies have these heightened cells with white larvae-looking critters in various stages of emergence. Some have apparently already emerged or been removed.

MISSING FOUNDATION
Also, separate subject, portions of a few of the manufactured foundations have been partially removed since installed last June. In both the supers and brood deeps. Is this bad? What should I be learning from this foundation-removal process?

Thank you.

-Lee

 

[conky]

Drones

 

[Beeslave]

Your 1st question-drones

Your 2nd question-That is what happens with all wax foundation when the bees have no incoming nectar to draw wax with. It is a problem because when they fill that spot back in it will be drone cells.

 

[yem]

Beeslave, so would sugar syrup help prevent that?

 

[David LaFerney]

Drone comb is natural, and not a problem. If you use all regular foundaion it is sized for worker comb, and there won't be anywhere for the queen to lay drones - so they will make their own drone comb anywhere that they can - often where you don't want it like between the top of one box of frames and the bottoms of the next. As long as you are seeing plenty of worker brood don't worry about drone brood - it isn't a bad thing. You might even consider getting a frame or two of drone foundation or letting them build their own in foundationless frames.

 

[Fred Bee]

Yep...they are drones...you are ok...the gals decided they needed a few men around the house...thats all.

 

[Beeslave]

Beeslave, so would sugar syrup help prevent that?

Early season yes. Late fall they are done drawing comb when the weather gets to cool

And for the above post(#5). The bees do need some drone comb but you don't want a bunch of comb like what is in the picture. When you transfer comb from 1 hive to another for splits or removing honey bound frames to make room for the queen it sucks to have a bunch of crap frames with comb like that. When it goes against another good comb that good comb will become bad because the bulged out drone comb goes into the good worker comb. At least that is my experience with running 10 frames. You want all your comb as much worker cells as possible in the brood chamber. if you add a drone comb then it is best that the frame is solid drone cells. They make plenty on the bottom of the frames. You don't need/want it in the center of your worker comb. I think you will also have a quicker rise in varroa population with a bunch of wild drone comb that is not removed before the bees hatch, releasing more mites.