How to Entice Bees to Move Up
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Placing frames of empty wax comb on top box may encourage bees to move up. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)
“Hi Charlotte! I acquired my bees last spring and they are thriving right now. They have filled the bottom portion of the hive with comb and honey. I have placed a new super on the hive several weeks ago and they don't seem interested in building in it. Is there something that I can do to encourage them to move into it?” - Shayne
How to Entice Bees to Move Up
Hi Shaye, where are you located?
In mid-Missouri where I am, the nectar flow is over so the bees wax glands are not being stimulated to pull wax or do much storing. If you want to encourage them to pull wax, feed them 2 parts sugar to one part water in jars/feeders inside the hive to reduce robbing.
You can also check the bottom box and move the outside frames, which should have drawn wax comb, bee bread and honey, and move those to the top box to encourage bees to move up. However, without drawn wax, they probably won't be very interested unless you feed them to get their wax glands going.
If you feed, remember you can't harvest the stored sugar water for your use, you want honey made from dehydrated flower nectar.
Hope this helps. Let me know what works for you.
Yours, in bees,
