I guess it also takes both honey and time to make actua comb then.
Finsky, Does this make sense?
I have not met any problem with time or comb building. All hives are able to build combs as much as they need them. AND, they try to make more than they need. Every gap is full of burr.
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When I started 40 years ago, I bought tens of swarms and started from zero. I put swarms together to make 8 lbs colonies. That size colonies draw during first week 2 langstroth box foundation with the help of syrup. - No problems.
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5 years ago I lost most of my hives and I burned most of my brood frames. I have no troubles when I make bees to make new combs, 3 boxes per hive per 1 month. I followed MAAREC's advice: give foundations during heavy nectar flow.
But the cost of renewing combs was huge cost, frames and foundations. - I got splendid yield on that year and bees made so much combs as nectar come in. 3 box new combs to big hive is no problem.
When I have got swarm, and it is rainy weather, bees do not make much combs because they save food to stay alive
If I feed them with syrup, they make 10 frame's combs ready during 7 days.
If big hive 5-6 boxes get a lot nectar, they build combs 2-3 box per week. I have not seen problem in this.
I do no understand thinking "bees like". Bees do not make "like things". They just follow they instincts and try to survive
Beekeeper like many thing and want bees like same things.
Bee make combs only if they need them for brood or honey storing. If bees do not cap food, it means that cells are not full.
Many beekeepers want that bees draw combs even in case where bees try to save food over bad weathers.
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If some hive is eager to draw combs, I take half made combs away and give new foundations. But it stress too much one colony and I do that only once.
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Bees do like to draw foundations if you put them between brood frames. And sometimes not.It only breaks the brood are and bees have difficulkties to keep brood war. But it has no meaning in whole beekeeping.
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