Untidy buildout

[LeaBees]

Hi,
Put some drawn super frames from last season on colony when flow started last week.
Good news is they are filling and part capping some. Bad news is they are building out the super frames in creative ways and adding brace comb between supers etc.. I didn't get this with the new foundation last year so I have to assume this is down to the drawn frames. How do I avoid this next time ?

 

[Erichalfbee]

I must say that’s never happened to me. Perhaps put the super with frames at right angles to the brood?

 

[Boston Bees]

Hi,
Put some drawn super frames from last season on colony when flow started last week.
Good news is they are filling and part capping some. Bad news is they are building out the super frames in creative ways and adding brace comb between supers etc.. I didn't get this with the new foundation last year so I have to assume this is down to the drawn frames. How do I avoid this next time ?

Look at it from the point of view of the bees.

They can draw out a honey cell almost as far as they want (unlike a brood cell, which has to be a certain length). So it's easier for them to just keep drawing out the existing cells they have, putting more and more honey in, rather than start new cells on the adjacent frame.

This pretty much only happens above queen excluders (if the queen can access a space, the bees keep the cells at the appropriate length for brood). I used to experience it when I used them.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Bad news is they are building out the super frames in creative ways and adding brace comb between supers etc

How far apart are the frames spaced? how many to each super this year compared to last?

 

[enrico]

I have to admit I am having a similar problem thus year They are insistent on putting brace comb between foundation. Already swapped several which is such a waste of their efforts.

 

[LeaBees]

How far apart are the frames spaced? how many to each super this year compared to last?

Using castelations this year so 9 frames while I just had frames stacked together last year at 10/11 frames. Was aiming for the more content less frames option.

 

[Boston Bees]

Using castelations this year so 9 frames while I just had frames stacked together last year at 10/11 frames. Was aiming for the more content less frames option.

Ahhh .....

I think you can only do the whole 9 frame thing if you use 100% drawn comb. Otherwise the gap between the frames is so large that they go freestyle? But I could be wrong as I have never tried spacing out frames.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Using castelations this year so 9 frames while I just had frames stacked together last year at 10/11 frames. Was aiming for the more content less frames option.

There's your answer - too much space to play with

 

[JamezF]

Ahhh .....

I think you can only do the whole 9 frame thing if you use 100% drawn comb. Otherwise the gap between the frames is so large that they go freestyle? But I could be wrong as I have never tried spacing out frames.

That's the impression I had (never tried it myself) -- if the combs aren't fully drawn you push the frames up together until they are drawn as far as the bees want, then move them apart to their final spacings. Tricky to do with castellations though

James

 

[LeaBees]

Will be dispensing with the castellations then… rather annoying.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I usually get supers drawn on 11 then move to 10

 

[JamezF]

I usually get supers drawn on 11 then move to 10

Using spacers on the lugs?

James

 

[Erichalfbee]

No I have 10 space castellations and Hoffman frames. I know it’s a bit daft in a super

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

never bothered with 9 frame spacings the difference in 'content' of honey is minimal and frames that thick are just cumbersome and a faff

 

[drex]

I use 10 frame castellations. No problem with brace comb drawing out a full box of foundation