Damaged Foundation

[weedstinger]

Packages in for 4 days. Checked and queen has been released. IN one of the hives I tore a queen sized hole in the foundation when removing it. I put the frame back where it was. When should I go back in to check for eggs and do I need to do anything to the damaged foundation?

[Wally]

You can check for eggs anytime after 7 days from install. The bees will repair the foundation. Be sure all frames are pushed tightly together and centered. They will build wild comb if an open space is left between frames.

[weedstinger]

Thanks Wally. I meant queen cage sized hole

[Wally]

If it is baseball size, they will repair it. If you cut the bottom half off, they will repair it.

[Jacobs]

I am assuming that you are feeding the package bees a 1:1 mix of sugar and water so that they can draw out comb on the foundation you have in the hive. With warm weather, plenty of nectar or sugar water, and the need for places to store food and places for the queen to lay eggs, workers will produce wax and make comb. After about mid-May in this area, when the nectar flow slows, bees will slow down on comb production unless fed and given conditions to stimulate comb making.

Feeding after installing a new package even when there is a nectar flow gives the bees 24 hour a day access to the materials they need to draw wax comb quickly.