Providing the wax is vertical in the frame and the frame is vertical in the box the bees will build the comb vertically but from my experience the only sure way to prevent wonky comb is to wire the frame and fit a full sheet of foundation. I have never had a problem will bees using bees wax foundation and bees wax foundation is natural, right? It saves a lot of time and resources for the bees. I hate having to ‘butcher up’ what the bees have spent time and effort in building. I’ve seen frames of bee made foundation when lifted out of the hive collapse but never seen that with thicker foundation that is in a wired frame.
The bees should build straight down. Just check on them regularly and intervene with correction as required.
Be aware that the comb is more prone to breakage in the earlier stages and will not be as strong until the comb is built out to the edges and finally bottom. Handle with care to avoid another stuff up.
I applaud your perseverance.
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Haha! Good tip, I’m prone to them stuff ups.
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Me too. Plus I applaud the honesty and willingness to learn. I wish everyone was like you! 
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Stop it you two. I’m not used to compliments:)
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Get used to it! You deserve it!! 
One of the most interesting things I learned in Psychology training (when I was a medical student) relates to this. Those who are exceptionally competent, usually think that they mess up and can improve. Those who are exceptionally incompetent, usually think that they do everything perfectly. 
I trust doctors who quickly admit their errors. I love my accountant, because he admits his and is ready to compensate for them every time. Competent people deserve respect, even when they make mistakes. 
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Now, there’s a mistake you have admitted…well done. 
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I think my accountant should be knighted for what he has to correct in my mistakes. Numbers and I, we hate each other. Passionately.
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@busso, if you worked with my accountant, you would love him too! He is very smart, very patient and very humble.
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Ok so after my initial setback, I picked myself up, and early this morning I collected my second nuc for my other Flow hive I set up.
This one, well, was a totally different kettle of fish. It was advertised as a 5-frame nuc from a ‘registered bee breeder’ with a new healthy laying queen from a swarm control split. I asked whether they are gentle bees and this was confirmed. Also asked whether the queen was purchased or made one themselves, and it was the latter. This was acceptable for me.
First thing I noticed was how light the nuc was, considering it had one more frame than my first nuc. I assumed this difference was due the corflute nuc, and not wood like the first. Second thing I noticed was how quiet the bees were. Not much buzzing like the first nuc. Anyway, who am I to argue, so I paid and left. This beekeeper was another hour drive away (in Wanneroo) and wasn’t practical to visit and check out the nuc before buying. Sometimes you have to trust.
At home I suited up and transferred the nuc, immediately before the forecast 40deg temps hit.
The 5-frame nuc turned out to be 4 frames with about 80-90% comb drawn, and one totally empty frame. That’s not fair I reckon. “Room for expansion” I was later told. I easily found the queen, which was marked with a smudge of pink allover her thorax. I looked up the colour coding but found no year corresponding with pink. I found brood, eggs, and honey. I also found a few drones, maybe about 5% of the population. The number of bees seemed to be, on a rough estimate, about half of the first nuc I bought.
So, no stuff ups my end this time round as the nuc transfer went as smooth as a baby’s bottom. However, I feel this nuc is not how a nuc should be either. The number of bees seems too low compared to my first nuc. Or could it be the first nuc had way too much, but unlikely.
Sorry but again didn’t take photos, as I didn’t want an extra layer of complexity while transferring. I will eventually start to take photos.
So, should I feed them? I’m on the hot Darling Scarp and 60% of their foraging ground is Marri woodland with an understorey of calothamnus, hakeas, grevilleas, dryandras etc. 40% is sparse urban gardens.
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Hi mate, sounds like a pretty ordinary nuc…
A good nuc is surprisingly heavy so it being light ain’t great. I also think our flow is lessening and summer is pretty dry nectar wise up our way so feeding wouldn’t hurt however not having so many bees to defend could start a robbing frenzy.
If you like I can spot you a couple of honey frames to add to the hive to help them out.
That is provided you are up my way, the scarp is awfully long…
PM if interested.
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I’ll see what happens skeggley, I don’t want to compromise your hives.
I have some Eucalypts starting to flower around here.
I reduced the entrance and inverted a jar of sugar syrup on the inner cover.
Speaking of entrance reducers - is it a good idea to leave it on all year round? Flow hives have a screened bottom so air flow isn’t a problem. I suppose.
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I think I would rather a competent accountant that does not stuff up. Especially in Australian Tax Law 
Nah mate not compromising, they’re in the shed. You’ll be doing me a favour, less crush n strain. 
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My hive entrances are reduced to about 15cm wide year round. If I see robbing, I reduce them more with a robbing screen. So my answer is yes, reduce it somewhat all year.
By the way, my answer is not just my opinion. There is an excellent bee researcher by the name of Thomas Seeley. He set up several hives to attract swarms and make colonies. They each had different capacities and different entrance sizes. My memory is that the preferred capacity was about 45 litres, and the preferred entrance size was 15 square cm. As the flow hive entrance is about 1cm vertical, I make mine 15cm wide. 
The other thing he discovered is that bees tend to prefer a bottom entrance, not a top entrance. That is a totally different discussion, but let me just add that my bees like to have both. 
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Thanks Skeg. I’ll let you know. You’re not far from me.
Cheers Dawn. The kind of answer I like. Not just what, but why! Perfect!
I will fashion a more permanent reducer then. My hive entrances are a bit tapering because the hive bottom is sloping out. I’ll have to make a bit of a wedge from some cedar weatherboards which already have a bevel shaved in their back.
Hey S
Whereabouts are you in WA.
I may be near you.
After only a few days, the jar of syrup I placed inside the roof was bone dry. The Sheilas consumed it all, which surprised me. I’m pretty sure it was not leaking and only had two small holes in the lid which I made with a staple gun.
I have these questions, if you learned folk do not mind attending to:
- Colonies are still small, how much syrup should I expect them to consume?
- If there is a flow, would they stop consuming my syrup and prefer the natural sources? So, if they leave the syrup there, it would be an indication that they are finding enough resources.
- How can you tell there is a flow, after all? Having flowers is not a definitive indication, from what I understand. I often try to observe the bees coming in and see how many have pollen sacs. I think less than 10% had any, but sometimes is it hard to see because they are quicker than my eyes. What percentage of bees should I expect to return with pollen sacs to be satisfied?
- I know you can buy large volume plastic feeders cheaply, but as I’m trying to buy less plastics, is there a recommend DIY feeding apparatus that I can make from readily available junk around the house.
Your wisdom is appreciated in advance.
Remember that these answers are all given by the queen of “it all depends” replies!
As much as they need, want or like. I have had colonies take less than 250ml (or even nothing) in a week, and others consume 4 liters. Without seeing the inside of your hive right now, it is hard to know.
If there is a big nectar flow, and all the frames in the hive have drawn comb, yes. However, bees like a break sometimes too, and on cloudy or windy days, they may still take your syrup.
The only really reliable way is to weigh the hive. You can do this with a hive scale. Old timers are skillful enough to be able to “heft” the hive and judge whether it is gaining weight. If it is, there is a nectar flow.
Many people use canning jars and put small holes in the lid. Just like you did. You can get them up to ~2 liters reasonably easily. Just invert them carefully when they are heavier! 
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Thank you Dr.Dawn. Much appreciate your patience with me. I do understand that there are no black and white answers for most of these questions but your answers point me to the right direction.
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