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Not building comb - NUC vs Package

  • June 22, 2023 7:36 AM
    Message # 13218437

    Hello,

    I have 2 hives - one from a NUC and one package.

    The nuc colony has completely filled 2 deep brood boxes. So I placed a queen excluder and honey super on top 2 weeks ago. The super is full of bees, but they are not making any comb. I am no longer feeding this hive. 

    The package hive has completely filled one deep brood box. I placed a second deep brood box about 2 weeks ago. I am still feeding this hive. They have not started making comb in the second brood box.

    Is there anything I can do to encourage comb building? Should I do anything different, or just leave things as is?

    Thanks,

    Bill

  • June 23, 2023 9:02 AM
    Reply # 13218987 on 13218437
    Kurt (Administrator)

    Bill,

    There are few things you can do but this is what I do.

    1) brush more wax on those supers.

    As a new hive you probably don't have access to melted wax so try this:

    Take the super off the hive and move one or two of the undrawn super foundations into the deep brood box.  Choose/remove two  deep frames that are are already or mostly capped with honey out.   Move the new undrawn super frames near the middle but don't separate the brood with the two consecutive undrawn frames ( stagger them in or bookend them). I know they are a lot shorter -no worries.   Leave these frames in there for a few days - check them to see if the bees are start to draw comb.    Once you see them drawing comb but before the queen lays eggs, remove the superframe out and replace the deep frames.    Now you will put the super back on, reposition the two super frames that they started in the middle of the super.  You could keep excluder off but it is important to check to make sure the queen isn't laying up there. May be easier to excluder back on.

    The hope is that the two super frames will bait more bees to come up and draw foundation.   

    Give it try - but you need to stay on top of the supers in the brood box as the bees will quickly start to draw comb under those shorts.  If they do - you will need to cut it off.

    Give this technique a try and let us know if it helped.

    /k

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