drawing comb

[wtiger]

I had a quick question about bees reluctant to draw comb.  Or at least not drawing it all that fast.  My two hives are in 1 medium each and slowly working on a second.  They were drawing comb on foundationless frames quickly and beautifully earlier this year, but now they seem to want to draw a lot of funky comb.  For example anywhere there is honey without fully drawn frame next to it they seem to want to just keep on growing the honey frame.  Is there anything I can do besides trim the excess off and cut out anything that is funky periodically and be patient until they finish the other frames?

The hives had a good start then seemed to slow down for a while, but they seem to really be picking up speed and building their population lately.  They're also building up stores fairly rapidly now.  At least compared to what they were.  Instead of just the odd honey ring above the brood, the outer frames and anything that's brand new they seem to rapidly be filling in with honey until the next over is drawn then they move most of the honey and the queen starts laying in the frame that previously had all honey/nectar.

On the plus side of trimming and directing their efforts I get to sample their honey and what I read on the forum is correct, fresh, unprocessed honey is fantastic.  It tastes like mostly clover honey and they seem to always have an abundant supply of it to forage.

[kathyp]

one of my hives did the same.  i had used starter strips on all frames in the second super.  i put in a couple of frames of full foundation and that straightened them out.  once they got the idea of drawing straight comb on and beside the full sheet, they drew the rest of the box straight.

[Michael Bush]

With or without foundation, they often draw combs out very thick for honey and often this is uneven on the outside.  I just wait for them to cap it and harvest it.  Once you've cut the comb down even with the wood it will be flat again. 

[Scadsobees]

For me, they seem to draw the foundationless somewhat wavey.  They can't do that with foundation...

[Michael Bush]

>They can't do that with foundation...

Au contraire.  They do it all the time.  The mid rib might be straight with foundation (if it doesn't get hot and warp as it usually does with wax) but the outside will still be wavy if it's honey.