Hi everyone! I recieved my 5 frame nuc on April 22nd, and have been watching the colony progress. I currently have two frames with the the top half full of honey, and all my other frames have a thin bar of honey on top. I was wondering if this is normal progression or if I need to feed them something to get where they need to be. Note that all of my frames are full and I have a 8 frame hive.
Gauging from the picture you posted about removing drone frames, your colony seems to be doing well. If all the frames look like the picture you posted you’ll need another box soon. How are the bee numbers? Had you shaken the bees off the frame that you photographed?
The bees typically arrange the frames in the brood box like you’re describing l, with an arc of honey on top a section of pollen and then brood, especially in the middle frames. As you move outward you’ll see more pollen and honey and a smaller area of brood.
Think of the brood portion being a spherical or oblong shape that is surrounded by pollen and then honey.