# Bees aren't moving into next brood box



## Riverderwent (May 23, 2013)

bamabeedude said:


> Is there a principle of foundationless beekeeping that I've missed? Is there something I can do to promote the bees to move into the top box and to build from the top down? Sorry for the long post but as you can see, I've got issues.


I don't know that you've missed anything. Getting started when you don't have drawn comb to work with can be challenging. I use all mediums, so it is easier to just pull some comb up to help them get started in the upper boxes. Given what your bees have started doing, I would probably put the medium box under the deep until the bees get the medium comb well started. Others may have better advice for you.


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## Fusion_power (Jan 14, 2005)

Bees will build comb upward when they don't have a comb to climb on. There are two methods to get them to draw the comb properly. The first is to move one or two drawn combs into the empty super so the bees have a walking path to get to the top and draw downward. The second is to put the empty box under the box that is drawn.


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## birddog (May 10, 2016)

I'll plus 1 for putting a box under them and leaving the super above at the same time In addition if your feeding you may wish to cut back when there filling the new comb as fast as thay make it you don't want them packing in the bbrood cells


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## gnor (Jun 3, 2015)

The easy solution is to just move a couple of drawn frames up so they can crawl up to the top, but you can't do that. Next best is to add a couple of frames of foundation in your top box to get them started.
The other thing is don't worry too much about what they are using the comb for. My girls just unload their nectar anywhere, but when they need that area for brood, they will move it out of the way.


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## Harley Craig (Sep 18, 2012)

Yet another option is pull a deep up from the bottom and move it directly up and let it hang below in the deep now they will draw out under it in the gap like a foundatuonless frame, once the have a frame or two drawn out up top pull the deep frame carefully slice off the comb hanging below it and rubber band it into a frame up top and they will take care of the rest. The good thing is once you do this you'll never have to do it again because on future new hives you can just move a drawn comb over from another hive to get them started on it


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## sakhoney (Apr 3, 2016)

and this boys and girls is why you use foundation


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## bamabeedude (Jun 2, 2015)

sakhoney said:


> and this boys and girls is why you use foundation


Could I ask that respondants be limited to those who actually practice foundationless beekeeping?


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## sakhoney (Apr 3, 2016)

Guess you could - there's a whole forum just on this subject - take a look


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## Harley Craig (Sep 18, 2012)

bamabeedude said:


> Could I ask that respondants be limited to those who actually practice foundationless beekeeping?


it's not an issue limited to foundationless beekeeping sometimes they don't want to move up on foundation either and you got to move a frame up to get them up there.


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## Harley Craig (Sep 18, 2012)

sakhoney said:


> Guess you could - there's a whole forum just on this subject - take a look


where? The warre forum? That is like comparing apples to oranges since they don't even have frames and start at the top and work their way down.


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## aunt betty (May 4, 2015)

Problem is that you installed on 4-20. Them bees were probably baked out of their minds. @


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## lharder (Mar 21, 2015)

Now if you had another deep box, you could put that under, take a couple of deep frames with brood and fill the rest of the box with mediums. Put a couple of medium frames in the deep box. Once a few medium frames get made with some brood, put them in a medium box and put them above or below as you like.

It does make the case for going all one size box if you only have a few colonies. So easy to manipulate frames.


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