Drawn Comb Dilemma

[billdean]

The bees made quite a bit of drawn comb last year but I still don't have enough to super all my hives completely. I am wanting to see what everyone else has done in similar circumstances. I have a couple ways I could go. One is to fill up as many hive bodies as I can with drawn comb and when I run out use foundation in the rest and hope the bees draw it out as they need it. Or I might put every other frame as drawn comb and that would give me more supers with at least some drawn comb. Or would you put say 3 drawn combs side by side in the middle of each super and fill around ether sides with foundation? I am not sure which would be the best way or does it really matter?

[cao]

I assume that you are talking about honey supers.  If that is the case, I would put either all drawn comb or all foundation.  If you mix and match they will make the drawn comb extra thick and the foundation extra thin.  Ask me how I know.

[Aroc]

From what I understand it's hard to put empty frames in between honey frames.  The bees don't care wow deep honey comb is and will simply draw out the existing combs to fill the space.   Brood comb is different.  You can place an empty frame between brood comb and they will draw it out the way you want.

[Acebird]

Put a box of drawn comb on and let them fill it.  Then alternate filled / foundation between that box and the next one.  You can continue as high as you want or how long the flow lasts.

[iddee]

Aroc is correct. If you do as Ace said, be sure the honey is capped before putting the foundation in.

[billdean]

From what I understand it's hard to put empty frames in between honey frames. The bees don't care wow deep honey comb is and will simply draw out the existing combs to fill the space.   Brood comb is different.  You can place an empty frame between brood comb and they will draw it out the way you want.

Are you saying its hard to put empty frames or are you meaning empty foundation between honey frames? Again, are you meaning existing foundation to fill the space. Its hard for me to understand your meaning here as there is a difference between Frames, foundation, and the way you have interchanged them is unclear, at least to me.

[Bush_84]

I don't use foundation. They are right that bees will make honey comb pretty darn thick. Some in fact will intentionally take a frame out of their supers and let them go with it. Since I don't use foundation my bees have, as has been said, drawn out scrawny comb between two fat pudgers. I just don't care much. They are drawing out comb and filling it with honey. I extract them all and trim down the combs.

My suggestion is do what you think is right. I essentially do as acebird said. I put drawn comb on then checkerboard when they need more space.

[Dabbler]

From what I understand it's hard to put empty frames in between honey frames. The bees don't care wow deep honey comb is and will simply draw out the existing combs to fill the space.   Brood comb is different.  You can place an empty frame between brood comb and they will draw it out the way you want.

Are you saying its hard to put empty frames or are you meaning empty foundation between honey frames?

Yes - either.
In the super, the frames with uncapped cells stand a good chance of being drawn out deeper, into the "empty" space created by the empty frame or frame with foundation between them.
This is why some folks use 9 frames on a 10 frame super - the 9 frames are drawn deeper.

In the brood box it is a different story, The bees know they only need cells deep enough for a bee body.

[BeeMaster2]

I find that the best thing for me is to put the drawn comb in one super and the foundation in a separate super. I like to put the foundationless in my swarm traps because they are fast builders(one week to fill 10 frames) and with a waxed wood strip, they tend to build almost perfect comb.

Jim.

[Acebird]

On a strong flow I haven't had an issue.  Maybe my bees are trained.
If you put an empty box of foundation all by itself you run the risk that they don't go in it back up and swarm.  I always pull up frames in between foundation.

[Dallasbeek]

On a strong flow I haven't had an issue.  Maybe my bees are trained.
If you put an empty box of foundation all by itself you run the risk that they don't go in it back up and swarm.  I always pull up frames in between foundation.

I think you've said you use all mediums, right?  So you can pull up some drawn (?) frames between foundation.

[Acebird]

yes.

[Michael Bush]

Drawn comb belongs with the bees anytime they need comb.  They will guard it and use it.