What Should I Expect In This Process?

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Most of the time inner covers are interchangable. They seem to want to place comb there. Are all the frames in their box drawn out yet? Maybe they just need some drone cells. If you are on foundation frequently they will build cells on the bottom of bars to grow drones or queen cells. I am foundationless so I don't normally run into them building comb weird places. They build the size they think they need in my frames.

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I thought the covers were interchangeable and even looked at them when I put them together, but if we are talking a 1/8th or so difference I could have easily missed that distance in judging it by sight. But I just assumed they were indeed interchangeable.

I somewhat suspected that they could be building drone cells (I read up on it last night some). The reason I question the building of comb between the top of the frame and inner cover was because I feared if they did this on top of all the frames then I'd have a hard time getting the brood box open in the future. It was tough enough to get it up with the 2 combs attached, let alone if they glue up the entire thing across the tops of all the frames. The comb was built about 1/4 the length in of the frame and just a bit bigger than a 50 cent piece. Then a 5" gap then another comb about the same size....funny thing is, is that the other hive had dern the the identical thing going on.

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Looking for an easy link on it, but there are a million pages. Still searching

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bushfarms.com/beesfaqs.htm about halfway down the page it discusses messed up comb

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Figured I'd update things.

I've not messed with the bees much. My son and I have opened then up a few times to check on how they were progressing. Seems one hive is doing better than the other (just judging by numbers).

One thing to note, the hive that is doing better sure does beard a lot on the outside. I became a little concerned a bout the bearding but settled down after researching online after a few hours.

Oh, we have a guest house here at our place and have family and friends in from out of town all the time. One thing I have done with my guests that stop by is to have them sign a hive with a sharpie marker. I let them sign their name then I crack open the hive with them standing behind me, let them watch the bees for maybe 2 minutes then close it up. Most think I am a nutcase, but I do this to try and help them understand bees a bit more so than they do now, call it an educational experience.

[hobbitlady]

Yup,it's not unusual for queens to lay at different rates and hives overall to have quite different "personalities". It still takes me a very long time to figure out if one of mine is actually having a Problem when it's slow, or if it'll gear up.(3 years is still "new" at this,so many variables!) This year is way too hot to inspect my top bars much anyway...I'm a night owl and getting up at 5 is a bit much for me. I DID do it once after fretting for 3 weeks--hahahaha. Very soon I'll have to transfer a nuc into a new foundationless long lang and I have no clue how that's going to work....
Glad they are doing well for you overall.
I saw how busy you've been on your wonderful looking property on another thread so I wasn't wondering where you'd gone,but glad to see you update about your beekeeping as well! cheers,  -hobby-

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I had several swarms I picked up this spring at very different stages. I actually knocked every one of my hives down to a single brood box last week for expansion purposes. So, they are all about the same size right now.

Are they all still really gentle?

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Sorry for taking so long to reply!

Yes, they are still very gentle. I've still yet to get stung. I have however had several bees "bump" me but no stings yet.

When I picked up these bees for Ibraham he told me that if neither of them made it that he would replace them. I hate to think that I am gonna have to call him. I'd say the hive is only maintaining the 3 frames that it started with when I got it.....no expansion what so ever, but they are maintaining.

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At this point I would start feeding them and hope they over winter well