Hi Jack. Just read your comment and have a question for you- I put 2 foundation less frames (wired) in a month ago and they are rebuilding but it’s all drone brood at the moment. Why would this be and should I do anything about it? Thanks
1 Like
Hi Jane, permit me to answer. The bees want to build more drone comb because they want to produce a lot of drones as a means of passing on the genes of that colony while virgin queens abound. I like to limit the drone brood in my colonies because SHBs like to lay eggs in it, if given a chance. They do get that chance when lots of recently emerged drones crowd those frames, because drones don’t do any defending. Therefore they wont chase beetles the way workers do. They actually get in the road of workers chasing them.
I would replace those frames with fresh foundation frames.
cheers
2 Likes