Brace comb problems

[BT Beekeeper]

Intending to double-up on brood space, I added a second brood box to each of my two national hives a fortnight ago with frames of foundation on narrow plastic ends. Both hives had 6 frames of brood at the time and were doing well. I looked in today and found very little drawn foundation in the new BBs but a lot of brace comb with mainly capped drone cells, some built in slabs parallel and in between the sheets of foundation and some at right angles joining adjacent frames. I have cut it out and replaced the frames with foundation that have been spoilt. Brood is now covering 7/8 frames in the first BB so colonies are doing well.

What did I do wrong? Should I have spread the brood from the first BB into the new box above? Risk of chilling? Hopefully the colonies will soon recover from this early set-back.

 

[Midland Beek]

Should I have spread the brood from the first BB into the new box above? .

Yup. Put half the frames that are now in the bottom box into the top box. Bees like a spherical brood nest, and this is something they can achieve in a double brood box.

 

[Poly Hive]

How old was the foundation?

PH

 

[BT Beekeeper]

Hi PH - The foundation was bought in April from a local supplier in Okehampton. It looked fresh, like this year's production. Some has been part drawn out. I wonder if I should give some syrup even though the weather is good and the bees are flying strongly most of the time.

Thanks Midland Beek - that's what I was thinking. I shall do some re-arranging tomorrow, weather permitting.

 

[enrico]

sounds like old wax to me. try not to add wax to frames until just before you need them keeping them sealed prior to that, try giving a very light spray of sugar solution on the foundation. as they clean it it will encourage them to build where they should do!
Another tip, when you have a double brood turn the top brood box at right angles to the bottom one. this stops them attaching the top and bottom frames together so that you can't pull them out easily. It makes no difference to the bees having them at right angles to each other but helps you not to get frames all stuck together!
E

 

[BT Beekeeper]

Thanks Enrico. Both PH and you suggest old foundation might be a possible cause of the problem so I might take issue with the supplier as it was only bought last month.

Thank you also for the useful tips which I will put into practice.

 

[Cazza]

Another tip, when you have a double brood turn the top brood box at right angles to the bottom one. this stops them attaching the top and bottom frames together so that you can't pull them out easily. It makes no difference to the bees having them at right angles to each other but helps you not to get frames all stuck together!
E

That is a top tip.
Cazza