Package backfilling brood nest

[Bakersdozen]

I put a package of bees in a single brood box with some drawn comb in the center and un-drawn foundation on the outsides. I have been giving them 1:1 sugar syrup and checking their progress.  Last week I marked the queen, a nice looking Italian. Yesterday I checked on their progress and they backfilled the entire brood nest and haven't drawn any wax. I didn't see any signs of supercedure or swarm cells surprisingly.  There is a wee bit of brood still present. I gave them a few more frames of drawn comb so she would have a place to lay eggs. We are peaking on our spring nectar flow here but I don't understand why no one isn't drawing comb? If they don't do it now they not going to do it in another 6 weeks.

[iddee]

I would put a frame with foundation in the middle. They do not like holes in their nest. They should go to work on it immediately. As soon as they get it past midway, put another one in there.

[Bakersdozen]

I would put a frame with foundation in the middle. They do not like holes in their nest. They should go to work on it immediately. As soon as they get it past midway, put another one in there.

Thanks iddee. Do you mean a frame of un-drawn foundation in the middle? I'm always concerned about splitting up the brood nest, but this time of year it might be find to do that.

[iddee]

It is always un-drawn foundation. If it is drawn, is is comb, not foundation. It is common practice to create a hole amongst the brood to get them to fill in the open space during comb drawing season, which is now.