Bees building comb through crown board

[Carolbee]

Hi Everyone

I have managed to overwinter 3 colonies, one on double brood, one on brood and a half and one as single brood.

I have been feeding them all with fondant and had a look last Thursday. They all had plenty left. However, today I've had another look and the single brood has consumed all the fondant and is building comb through the crown board and into the plastic container which holds the fondant.

The queen was newly mated in July and the colony hadn't built up sufficiently in the summer to warrant putting another box on top.

I am now a little concerned that if I don't do anything soon, and I haven't inspected yet, that the bees will become congested and I'll have early swarming. Would it be too soon to put another box on top (I don't have sufficient drawn comb, it would be a super with partly drawn plus foundation) or should I leave them as they are at present and stop feeding?

Apologies if I have duplicated that which has gone before.

 

[enrico]

Put the super underneath for the moment with no queen excluder. If they need it they will use it. I have stopped feeding mine now. Too much feeding at this time of the year can trick them into thinking there is plenty of food and they may swarm early. It also means they may move excess fondant into supers and mix it with your honey crop
E

 

[Carolbee]

Thank you Enrico. As I won't be removing the crown board, does it matter too much about the temperature? Presume I would just do it on a day the bees are flying?

 

[Poly Hive]

Makes no odds flying or not. Just lift the brood box to one side, place the super on the floor (though another brood would be neater) and replace the occupied brood on top.

should take no more than three or four minutes.

PH

 

[Eyeman]

(I don't have sufficient drawn comb, it would be a super with partly drawn plus foundation)

Have quick look in the brood box, thats the only way to tell is they need more space or not. They may be building comb around the feeder and still have room. By inspecting you will see what the stores are available along with laying room from the queen.
If they are short on space then putting foundation under the brood box at this time of year means they will just walk all over it or chew it up.
I would:
Take the frames of foundation out of the super and dummy down the drawn comb with some kingspan (seal the exposed parts with aluminium tape). Put the dummied down super over the brood box without a queen excluder and put your order in to the bee suppliers for some more kit.

 

[pargyle]

I rather find that if you leave any space at the top of the hive they will start building comb down from the top .. be it empty feeders - holes in crown boards and roof space - it's what they do - often when they have space in the box below. I think they just like building comb ...