Tips and tricks to encourage bees to draw outer frames

[Do224]

My bees have been on 8 frames for a couple of weeks now and aren’t showing much sign of working the remaining 4 frames of foundation.

I haven’t moved the undrawn frames inwards as I’d be splitting the brood nest. I wondered if anyone had any tricks they use to get those outer frames drawn? I’ve not been giving them syrup as thought they’d probably just backfill the brood nest.

I asked a few people at my local BKA and they basically said “I’d just put a super on now to be honest. The bees might not draw out the rest of the brood box and you better give them some extra space on top or they’ll probably swarm” Is this sound advice?

Background is this is a 4 1/2 week old swarm. They had 2 litres of 1:1 syrup initially to get them going....they wolfed it down.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

just put the frame of foundation between the outermost drawn frame (which will probably just have stores and pollen) and the end of the brood.

 

[Do224]

just put the frame of foundation between the outermost drawn frame (which will probably just have stores and pollen) and the end of the brood.

There’s 6 frames of brood and the next frame on each side have stores as you say, but they’re only partially drawn....they’ve remained this way for a fortnight

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

There’s 6 frames of brood and the next frame on each side have stores as you say, but they’re only partially drawn....they’ve remained this way for a fortnight

still do it - they'll draw it when the queen needs laying space.

 

[Curly green finger's]

If you have half drawn frames on the outside you can turn them around.
And why not put a frame in the centre of the brood?
If there strong and theres a flow on they will draw them out, only 6 days ago I did this and the frames I put in the middle of the nest are drawn out and have eggs and lavae in.
I've found that foundation put next or in between brood frames (capped or open brood get drawn quicker.

 

[Do224]

If you have half drawn frames on the outside you can turn them around.
And why not put a frame in the centre of the brood?
If there strong and theres a flow on they will draw them out, only 6 days ago I did this and the frames I put in the middle of the nest are drawn out and have eggs and lavae in.
I've found that foundation put next or in between brood frames (capped or open brood get drawn quicker.

I just thought from what I’d read that it was a no no to split the brood nest with a frame of foundation...?

 

[Curly green finger's]

I just thought from what I’d read that it was a no no to split the brood nest with a frame of foundation...?

Why? I've been doing it since the end of April.
Edit: Strong colonys can cope with it, I wouldnt do it on a nuc although I do turn half drawn frames around in nucs.

 

[ericbeaumont]

I just thought from what I’d read that it was a no no to split the brood nest with a frame of foundation...?

Risky to split the nest in the first third of the season, but anytime they're booming bung a frame in the middle. I've been doing it most of the season and they've always drawn it; if not, there's no flow or they intend to swarm.

Read everything but hold your own counsel.

 

[ericbeaumont]

I asked a few people at my local BKA and they basically said “I’d just put a super on now to be honest. The bees might not draw out the rest of the brood box and you better give them some extra space on top or they’ll probably swarm” Is this sound advice?

Is there a strong flow in Cumbria?

No harm in adding a super (drawn comb?) but unless there's a flow on it'll drain nest temps to no purpose.

 

[madasafish]

If I am trying to get bees to draw foundation, there is no super on and NO flow, I place foundation in brood nest and add fondant on topbars.
Mimics a flow.

Note: no super - sugar honey otherwise,

 

[Do224]

Is there a strong flow in Cumbria?

No harm in adding a super (drawn comb?) but unless there's a flow on it'll drain nest temps to no purpose.

I’d say there’s a flow on, yes. I’ve no drawn comb as I’m a complete beginner. Bees would have to draw from foundation

 

[Arfermo]

I just thought from what I’d read that it was a no no to split the brood nest with a frame of foundation...?

Reading the wrong books then.

 

[drex]

With the temperatures at this time of the year, with a moderately strong colony, splitting the brood is unlikely to cause any harm. They will draw foundation out really quick in this position. If temp and strength are not so good, I will place new frames next to the last frame(s) containing brood

 

[user 819]

Place the foundation in between two brood frames on one side of the brood, I usually place it on the entrance end. If a flow is on and warm as now they will draw.

 

[W0otz]

I stuck a new foundationless frame bang in the middle of the hive last week, today it was 2/3rds drawn and laid up with eggs. I'm not sure whether it being foundationless would be "safer" as there's no sheet of foundation to act as a barrier in the middle of the brood.

 

[user 819]

I prefer foundation less combs with a mere 1 - 2 cm starter strip.
In a nuc I was short of combs to fill up so used a couple of super frames which now has nice worker brood drawn out under to the depth of the BS deeps. The new queen has also laid it up with eggs.