This is the organization of one of my long langstroths (32 deep frames). In some ways it seems like a double deep brood box with another deep super. The partial frame combs (1/2, 2/3) are new wax, and that tends to be where the eggs are. They are new empty, foundationless frames I have been inserting. All the empty comb towards the back of the box is the result of my consistently opening the broodnest, and the frames are migrating to the back as the brood emerged? but instead of filling those, the bees still seem to be backfilling.
Questions:
1. Is it right that the eggs are scattered in batches throughout the hive, over 19 frames.
2. The (pollen, heavy nectar) frames feel heavy like a honey. Is this backfilling or nurse bee pantry staples? Is it becoming a honey barrier for the queen?
3. Why hasn?t she kept the broodnest intact, and close to the entrance?
4. Should I rearrange the box myself, grouping all the eggs and capped brood into a broodnest at the entrance?
5. How can I ?encourage? the bees to store all this heavy, thickening nectar in the back of the hive where the empty comb is?
6. Would even more empty frames inserted into the broodnest have encouraged an intact broodnest? I was adding a couple frames a week, between half formed comb frames and full frames of capped brood, in almost every opening I could find. (full,half,full,empty,full,half,full,empty)
I appreciate any advice.
ENTRANCE
-pollen
-1/2 frame- nectar
-pollen, HEAVY nectar
-1/2 frame- nectar
-pollen, HEAVY nectar
-pollen
-pollen honey, EGGS
-pollen, HEAVY nectar
-pollen, HEAVY nectar
-2/3 frame, capped brood, EGGS
-capped brood, pollen
-HONEY, nectar
-1/2 frame EGGS
-capped brood, larva
-capped brood
-1/2 frame, QUEEN, EGGS
-capped brood
-capped brood
-2/3 frame- EGGS
-honey, nectar
-empty comb, a little nectar
-empty comb, a little nectar
-empty comb, a little nectar
-empty comb, a little nectar
-empty comb, a little nectar
-empty comb, a little nectar
-empty comb, a little nectar
-empty comb, honey
-empty comb, honey
-empty comb