# Lazy OH Hive



## TAWoods (Jul 24, 2000)

Hello, 

My observation hive was started this spring with 1/2 pound of bees and a Carni queen. I started them off with a frame of honey and pollen, but left the other three frames of this four frame OH empty for their expansion. At first I placed them up high in the hive, they didn't do much however the queen was laying and the field bees were working hard. I did have syrup available, but they ignored it. I repositioned the frame of bees down to the bottom just above the entrance, which seem to be to they liking. They quickly expanded to the rest of the frame consuming the honey and pollen, in place the queen was laying tons of eggs. Well, as much as this single frame could handle. Now, the frame is solid bees from side to side and the cells are capped with brood. Upper corners of the frame has open nectar. But, still no expansion to any up the frames above. I have installed a frame with partially draw comb, but it is ignored for the most part. They do hang on it and do nothing but sit around. These bees are like couch potatoes, just hanging around. However, the field bees are busy busy... 

Oh, there is no condensation build up on the plexiglass anywhere.

No expansion and lazy bees. Any suggestions?


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## shaneTX (Jun 7, 2016)

Mine are doing the same thing. Ignoring syrup, bringing in some pollen. Not drawing any comb. I just moved a frame next to the main brood frame to see if that will encourage them to draw it out. I suspect I'm fighting instincts for them to store honey rather than build comb in preparation for a colony size reduction. 

I look forward to others input.


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## D Coates (Jan 6, 2006)

These questions are asked of both of you. Ignoring syrup? Is the queen laying well? Do they have reserves? How long has the OB hive been set up? How old is the queen?


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## aunt betty (May 4, 2015)

The only way a colony of bees is in expansion mode in September is if there's a heck of a flow or you just installed a swarm. 
There was a frost in Canada a couple days ago and you're in Minnesota. Winter is a comin'.
My waterfowl spidey-sense is tingling.


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## shaneTX (Jun 7, 2016)

My queen is 4weeks old and has a good laying pattern. There is one frame of brood and 3/4 frame of honey. I'm in houston and flowers are starting to bloom again. 

I think I diagnosed and fixed my problem. 

First, I don't think there were enough bees. They had enough bees to care for the open brood and not many more for extra tasks. Not enough to cover the new frame. 

Second, i think the foundation I gave them to work on was too far away. It was above the current brood nest but in my ob. hive, there is a 1" gap between each level. Just not enough bees explored and hung out on the extra frame. I think this also keeps the queen from moving up there. (I need to fix this because they started building burr comb to fix it for me )

I think I fixed my problem of drawing comb- I moved the new frame down and next to the current brood frame yesterday morning-The frame covered in bees. This morning, I can tell they are working to draw it out on the side away from the glass. This makes my ob. hive so it's not as observational. I cut a huge hole out of the middle of the plastic foundation to make it a little more viewable so I can tell they are working it. Once they draw this out, I will move it up and see what happens. 

Here is my theory. - Bees draw comb underneath them in mass. They dont travel far to build comb. 

Also, because I only had enough bees to cover 1 frame, they didn't need to draw any more. It would just be more to defend.


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