Should I bee concerned?

[Mr T-Bone]

My 4 hives,

#1 colony old established hive that had been abandoned and unattended for 6+ years. replaced all woodenware this spring except a few brood frames that were not delapidated. 90% capped brood.

#2 colony bought this spring 5 frames of bees & queen, 80%-90% capped brood.

#3 colony captured swarm. gave them a frame of capped and emeging brood for a boost, 70% capped brood.

#4 colony captured swarm. gave them a frame of capped and emeging brood for a boost, 60-70%% capped brood.

I added 1 super on all of them a month and a half ago. the summer flow is nearly over. They have not even begun to draw out any comb in the supers. I fed all of them and am still feeding #4. Did I stop feeding them too soon? Why aren't they working in the supers? Am I just a worry wart and need to leave them alone? I have all of them in a single deep 10 frame, with one super.

[Michael Bush]

>Why aren't they working in the supers?

Either you don't have a flow or you have a queen excluder on.

[Mr T-Bone]

>Why aren't they working in the supers?

Either you don't have a flow or you have a queen excluder on.

Could be the excluder on #1 and #4... I did take them off Saturday.

[Finsky]

I have all of them in a single deep 10 frame, with one super.

You should use as many frames as bees occupy them.  Your colonies are small and their energy goes when they take care of brood.

When you have opportunity to get swarms it is better to put them together so you get at least one box full of bees.

If you have 2 langstroth box full of swarm bees  it is able to gather honey and raise brood. It gets easily 80 lbs honey.  From one box swarm you get no honey. Perhaps few lbs.

Continuous feeding restricts brood area.

If you want to raise them with feeding you should use pollen patty but you have summer and surely they get eating from nature.

Your hives are just small. Wait that they get new bees.  If you are harsh, put them together to get every box full of bees.  When hives become stronger you may make nucs from them.  Build up will be much more quicker.

[TwT]

both post above cover everything IMHO!!!!! THAT WAS EASY TO SAY WHEN THEM 2 ANSWER!!!, Finsky calls me the Professor  :D  when I don't know 1/4 of what he knows but I try ;) ,,,,,,,, and there is a couple other old pro's in here that are very good to listen to also, and when all these talk you can about take it to the bank it will work!!!! ;)

[Brian D. Bray]

>>I added 1 super on all of them a month and a half ago. the summer flow is nearly over. They have not even begun to draw out any comb in the supers. I fed all of them and am still feeding #4. Did I stop feeding them too soon? Why aren't they working in the supers? Am I just a worry wart and need to leave them alone? I have all of them in a single deep 10 frame, with one super.

If your original boxes are full I would suggest getting rid of the excluders (I find them to be swarm generators) and then taking a few frames from the 1st box and putting them up in the second box alternating with foundation Thus: Foundation, comb, foundation, comb, etc.