Bee Hive Journal

Parasitic fly attacks honeybees

2012-01-08T00:05:00.000-05:00

Parasitic flys are attacking bees.
Read the story here.

Zeskanter and Bruidskorf Straw Hives

2011-11-06T07:34:00.000-05:00

No other info.

Old Photo1

2011-11-06T06:44:00.000-05:00

The way it was

Just a rare old photo.

Anton Jansha 's hive

2011-06-12T12:48:00.000-04:00

See Here for more info. Slovenian Circa 1775

Revising the British National for today

2011-05-07T04:51:00.004-04:00

I've tried to keep up with the bee news from around the globe and gather some prospective on bees and bee hives. It seems clear to me that in today's world the use of hives of old and non-updated designs results in dead, dying or weak bees. This coupled with confusing and argumentative information and poor maintenance leads to further trouble and bee declines.

The British National Hive or the Commercial while a good and dependable design is not in line with today's beekeeping troubles. Most notable is the inability to weather the current pests of the hive. This could also be said of other designs. I will focus on this design for this post.

I recommend that each hive be modified in these manners:

The bee space under the bar tabs has two areas: a flat area created by the side component and sometimes a beveled area that slopes away from the frame resting area. This sloped area should be eliminated as this area harbors Small Hive Beetles, especially in hives that are poorly maintained. This can be done by cutting and installing a standing metal piece instead of the aforesaid sloped edged. 3/8" should be under the tabs/lugs. See graphic in this post.
Hives should have insulation added or a doubled thickness wall on the North or coldest side. Current hives can be fitted with a foam or wooden block under the handle in this space. This will provide for a more rounded and centered cluster during winter.
Until a more successful device is created, oil trap pest pans should be installed that are from wall to wall and front to back. These are very effective on both Varrora mites and SHB's. This could be used with the suggestion in #4.
Provide approx. a 2" space on top of the bottom board. This adds a thermal separation from cold bottoms and increases air flow during warmer times.
Verify that the bottom of frames do not extend below the bottom of the hive body. I have seen hives where frames can extend into the next body due to different manufacturers or plans.
All construction joints should be sealed with caulk, glue or other sealant to eliminate pest laying areas. This has the additional benefit of a longer lasting hive.
Inner side walls of hives should be coated with Canola cooking oil before being placed into service. Coat surface freely, allow to soak in, wipe of excess, allow some time to "dry", then use. Surface will be shinny but should not be wet. This aids in cleaning and helps to deter some pests.
Inner covers or crown boards if used should have at least three vent holes of bee escape size. See graphic on this post.
Choose your cover or top wisely. Some harbor spiders and ants. Some provide ventilation, air spacing and space for food or patties. Some fail at everything. Remove metal tops, instead use other waterproofing materials or coatings. This reduces stress by eliminating the "metal roof" sound during rains.

Maybe some more later. Buck

MULTI-PURPOSE SLEEVE RUŞET

2011-04-20T09:33:00.000-04:00

Found in Turkey.

Bee box, bee lining, bee hunting

2011-03-06T09:49:00.001-05:00

Catching a wild bee colony is the time honored way of building your apiary. It has become a lost art. Here's the information and a look at a 2 chamber bee lining box.

Pearl Agnes Beehive

2011-03-01T07:14:00.000-05:00

Circa 1906 USA. Page 665, Gleanings in Bee Culture, Vol. 34, #10.

Tri-State Beehive

2011-02-23T18:17:00.000-05:00

Taylor Beehive

2011-02-23T15:19:00.000-05:00

J. A. 's Frame Hive - Walker

2011-02-23T15:09:00.001-05:00

Lounger Beehive

2011-02-23T15:04:00.000-05:00

Blatt Hive

2011-02-23T14:51:00.002-05:00

Arrowhead beehive frame

2011-02-23T14:46:00.000-05:00

Zijkant Beehive

2011-02-23T14:40:00.000-05:00

Voorkant Beehive

2011-02-23T14:39:00.000-05:00

Yüskel hive or Yüskel kovanı

2011-02-18T09:41:00.002-05:00

Turkey. Queen excluder in middle. Brood to right side, honey to left.

Adams "TBH" Top Bar HIve

2011-02-17T18:34:00.000-05:00

Takes a Langstroth super.

Bluebee Beehive

2011-02-16T08:08:00.000-05:00

Made by "Bluebee" from Michigan, USA. Listed here because of thickness of meterials and simple design. Takes Langstroth frames. "HD" refers to the store Home Depot.

Leroy Combination Hive - La Ruche Mixte

2011-02-15T10:51:00.000-05:00

More info HERE. France.

Royal Nottingham Hive - Redshaw's

2011-01-30T07:15:00.002-05:00

Circa 1888

Sandringham Hive

2011-01-30T07:10:00.000-05:00

CDB Hive

2011-01-30T07:02:00.002-05:00

Bar and Frame Hive

2011-01-30T07:00:00.002-05:00

American Beehive

2011-01-30T06:58:00.000-05:00

Riffe Hive

2011-01-30T06:52:00.000-05:00

Circa 1878

Ruche Creuse

2011-01-28T16:45:00.002-05:00

France

Ruche Landes

2011-01-28T16:41:00.000-05:00

France

Solin Hive

2011-01-28T16:35:00.000-05:00

Flared cylindrical hive found in Crete. Photo E. Crane.

Pettigrew Hive

2011-01-28T16:22:00.002-05:00

Note hole in top for feeder.

Neighbour's Woodbury Observation HIve

2011-01-28T09:55:00.002-05:00

Cottage Frame Hive

2011-01-28T09:54:00.002-05:00

Conical Straw Hive

2011-01-28T09:53:00.003-05:00

Carr Stewarton Hive

2011-01-28T09:53:00.000-05:00

No info.

Powell Beehive

2011-01-26T09:32:00.000-05:00

Circa 1930

Troilo Beehive

2011-01-26T09:28:00.000-05:00

Circa 1922

Powers Beehive

2011-01-26T08:00:00.000-05:00

Circa 1859

Ross Beehive

2011-01-26T07:53:00.000-05:00

Circa 1842

Filling queen cages with attendants

2010-10-12T21:56:00.000-04:00

Read HERE for a novel idea of times past.

Quinby closed end frame

2010-10-12T21:50:00.000-04:00

These frames were assembled together to form a hive. More info HERE.

Taylors Garden Building Beehive

2010-07-02T04:05:00.000-04:00

UK. Currently available HERE with additional photos. They also sell beehouses.

J. H. Graves Double Walled Bee Hive

2010-07-01T09:36:00.000-04:00

USA circa 1866. More info HERE.

Meadows "Wells" Hive

2010-07-01T09:22:00.000-04:00

More info HERE.

Golden Bee-Hive

2010-06-24T09:10:00.000-04:00

This hive was sold door to door for about $10.00
It was the subject of several articles in the American Bee Journal between 1880 and 1884 mainly for false endorsements by it sales-staff More info HERE.

Zoo pest management and controls

2010-06-22T14:27:00.041-04:00

Control of pests is a critical aspect of preventive medicine at zoological parks. Key pest management issues at zoos are mice and rat control and insect (primarily cockroach) control. If you have ants and/or roaches and want to control them, we have the answer. Watch the video below on our ant/roach feeders that deliver 24 hour control. These feeders work by making available large amounts of our special ant killer to foraging ants and roaches in an endless pool. One filling usually lasts 2 to 3 months. This is much safer and easier than broadcasting granular bait. In the video we cut a slot in the feeder so you can see the bait pool in action.

Effective against Fire Ants, Crazy Ants, Argentine Ants, White Footed Ants, Carpenter Ants and many more, plus effective against American, Asian, Australian, German and Palmetto and Smokybrown cockroaches/roaches. Don't waste your money and your time on homeowner quality ant and roach bait stations. They become more expensive in the long run. Our slow kill formula eliminates the nest. Ants and roaches are noticeable reduced in 3 to 4 days and usually under control by 8 days.

These are used in zoo settings as the bait in both primary and relay toxicity cases is less toxic than common table salt. We have designed special attachments to avoid overturns caused by raccoons and other pests and are easily placed out of reach of animals. Zoo label requirements and MSDS sheets are available also. Less wash downs are needed, saving time and resources.

Not sure what type of roach you have? Check here for a good overview with photos.

We also offer several non chemical mice and rat control products. Products are available in non-kill and kill styles.

Contact us today to order via the question/comment link on the right of our web page. Our email address is at the first of the video.

Blow's "Wells" Hive

2010-06-18T07:58:00.000-04:00

More info HERE. Circa 1893 UK.

Neighbour's "Wells" Hive

2010-06-18T07:55:00.000-04:00

More info HERE. Circa 1893 UK

A. W. Harrison'e "Wells" Hive

2010-06-18T07:52:00.000-04:00

More info HERE. Circa 1893 UK.

Howard's "Wells" Hive

2010-06-18T07:50:00.000-04:00

More info HERE. Circa 1893 UK.

Redshaw's "Wells" Hive

2010-06-18T07:45:00.001-04:00

More info HERE. Circa 1893 UK.

Hetherington-Quinby Hive

2010-06-15T22:37:00.000-04:00

Circa 1922.

Drawhive

2010-06-14T10:39:00.000-04:00

This type hive comes in both US and UK sizes. More info HERE.

Suggestions

2010-06-09T07:23:00.001-04:00

Were looking for suggestions to improve the site. Post your suggestion in the comments section of this post. One area is the need for labels to group the various hives listed for readers. Any ideas? Thanks

Phelps' Patent Bee-Hive

2010-06-08T23:26:00.002-04:00

More info HERE.

Double-Boarded Hive

2010-06-08T23:14:00.000-04:00

More info HERE. Circa 1865 Canada

Maine State Bee Hive

2010-06-08T23:06:00.000-04:00

More info HERE. Circa 1864 USA.

Aspinwall Hive

2010-06-08T22:58:00.000-04:00

More info HERE.

North Star Hive

2010-06-08T22:50:00.000-04:00

More info HERE.

Eclipse Hive

2010-06-08T22:40:00.000-04:00

More info HERE. F. A. Snell's

Modest Bee Hive, Oatman

2010-06-08T22:38:00.000-04:00

More info HERE.

T. R. Allen's Patent Bee Hive

2010-06-08T22:28:00.000-04:00

More info HERE. Circa 1873 USA.

Climax Beehive

2010-06-08T22:24:00.000-04:00

More info HERE. Circa 1873 USA.

Pratt 1893 Automatic Self-Hiver

2010-06-08T08:35:00.000-04:00

More info HERE. Circa 1893.

Hive Covers

2010-06-08T08:26:00.000-04:00

Here are some designs for hive covers or lids that you might try on your next hive to vary the look, add ventilation or provide additional rain shedding.

Higginsville Gable Cover

Queen Bee Hive

2010-06-08T00:28:00.000-04:00

More info HERE.

Leffel's Bee Hive

2010-06-08T00:26:00.000-04:00

More info HERE. Center opening.

Nellis Hive

2010-06-08T00:12:00.002-04:00

More info HERE. Circa 1880 USA.

Holtermann 12 Frame Hive

2010-06-08T00:04:00.000-04:00

More info HERE. Circa 1905 Canada.

Irish Nucleus Hive

2010-06-07T23:56:00.001-04:00

More info HERE. Circa 1905. There are nucleus plans or nuc plans in the Build it Yourself-DIY section.

Blow's "Wells" Hive

2010-06-07T23:47:00.001-04:00

More info HERE. Circa 1893 UK.

Steele "Wells" HIve

2010-06-07T23:45:00.001-04:00

More info HERE. Circa 1893 UK.

E. C. Walton Bar-Frame Hive

2010-06-07T23:39:00.001-04:00

More info HERE. Circa 1885 UK.

Guinea Frame Hive

2010-06-07T23:36:00.000-04:00

More info HERE. Circa 1885 UK.

Buncefield Hive

2010-06-07T23:34:00.000-04:00

More info HERE. Circa 1885 UK.

Abbotts Copyable or Improved Irish Hive

2010-06-07T23:30:00.002-04:00

More info HERE. Circa 1885 UK.

Combination Hive

2010-06-07T23:27:00.002-04:00

More info HERE. Circa 1885 UK.

Rushton Collateral Bar-Frame Hive

2010-06-07T23:20:00.000-04:00

More info HERE. Circa 1885, UK

Sussex Prize Straw Hive

2010-06-07T23:15:00.000-04:00

More info HERE. UK circa 1885.

Long Idea Hive

2010-06-07T22:45:00.000-04:00

25 to 30 frame hive. Used from 1870 to 1920+. More info HERE. Originally used the American hive frame, then later used with the Langstroth frame.

Beehive frame sizes

2010-06-07T16:10:00.004-04:00

Beehive frames
Please provide any missing sizes/info for the list by adding them to the comment section.

Description / prey	A	B	C	D	E
Alberti Sheets Stock	420	270
Alsace-Lorraine-degree	240	320
Worksheets loot the Empire division beekeeper	223	370
Baden completely (Vereinsmaß)	237	210
Austria. Wide honeycomb	426	225
Baden half	240	420
Bayrisch.Hoffm.kl.
Berlepsch
Berchdesgardener measure	235	370
Bockzonadibeute (Hungarian)	420	360
Braun Sches measure
British S. National (Honey)	356	140			432
British Standard (14x12)	356	304			432
British Standard National Deep	356	215			432
Bürki-box	270	230
Dadant brood chamber	435	300
Dadant Honey Space	435	160
Dadant leaf frame	435	300
Dadant mod	448	285
Dadant Journal	420	270
Dadant Type American	460	270
DAHT wide honeycomb	347	225
DAHT high honeycomb	223	360
Danish trough booty	310	260
German Plain	370	223
German standard 1 1 / 2	370	311
French Congress of prey	362	362
French Zentralvereinsmaß	320	430
Freudenstein	338	200
Gerstung wide	410	260	400	250
Gerstung High	260	410	250	400
Helvetia box (brood chamber)	360	300	344	270
Helvetia Box (Honey Room)	360	150
Hoffmann small	370	260
Hoffmann large
Italian Vereinsmaß	426	261
Yugoslav ???	400	300
Kuntsch wide
Kuntsch High	330	250
Langstroth	448	232
Langstroth flat	448	159
Langstroth Shallow British	448	137
Langstroth Shallow New Zealand	448	175
Lüfteneggermaß	420	220
Champion Stock Schulz	350	240
Pike-perch	420	220
Rheinische ideal prey (Schneider)	250	420
Spühlerkasten breeding room	385	335	370	310
Spühlerkasten honey space	385	170	370	150
Swabian stock prey (Alsace)	272	362
Schweiermaß new	340	260
Schweiermaß old	272	277
Smith (short lug)	356	215
Swiss box	286	354	270	346
Swiss high honeycomb	270	340
Swiss Stock (breeding area)	288	361
Swiss Stock (Honey Room)	288	177
Schleswig Holstein walking booty	310	260
Sträuslis-frame Dadant-Alberti	435	300
Tartan (Czech & Slovak)	420	275
UK Commercial (Deep)	404	254
UK Commercial (Honey)	356	140
Vienna club stand	250	420
WBC
Würtenberger - New	272	277
Würtenberger Alt	272	220

Entrance or boadman style feeders

2010-06-04T08:48:00.005-04:00

The size and location of your apiary, condition of your hive(s) and how neat you are have much to do with success or failure with these boardman style feeders. I have added some photos of various types avialable and there are plans in the DIY section also. There are also other types of feeders available.

Front entrance feeders have their place. They are great for nucs and new hives. On the good side, they are inexpensive and you don't need your bee suit to change them. It is the easiest feeder to use, quickest to deploy, easiest to check, can use recycle containers, comes in various sizes and easy to remove when not wanted. With a little work they can be adapted to variuos hive designs such as a top bar hive (the yellow one pictured holds 1/2 gallon).

One plus for entrance feeders is that you don't have bees drowning all the time. Inside frame feeders always have dead bees and you have to manipulate the hive to fill/clean them. Manipulations are a part of almost every other feeder design. A bottom feeder being the exception.

Many times we hear about robber bees. These are bees from another hive that plan to take one hives food stores for themselves and their hive. They could be your bees. Various "robber screens" can be found in the DIY section or you can buy them.

Here's my list on operating an entrance feeder.

Make sure all your bees are healthy, the best defense against robbing.
Do not use them for winter feeding. The bees will not come down to them.
Bees should have access to water, nectar, pollen. Plenty of water.
Provide some free fly zone. Make sure your hives entrances do not point at one another.
When filling entrance feeders, do it away from the hive and watch those drips. Spilled syrup attracts ants and robber bees.
If the feeder gets mold or is dirty, wash it out.
Place the feeder to one side of the entrance and place a small block about 2" long on the other side of the feeder. This gives some buffer on the open side.
Place and refill in late afternoon or evening only. Bees are less active then and less likely to rob. If all hives are starving, feed ONLY AT NIGHT.
If you have stronger hives, feed them one day before the weaker.
Check feeders often. A hungry hive can empty a quart feeder in a few hours.
Use high volume feeders after the nectar flow.
Overfeeding in spring could induce early swarming or your frames becoming honey bound from the syrup. See the tip below.

TIPS:

To make the syrup last all day, to ramp up brood rearing or to reduce the chance of robbing simply reduce the number of access holes in the lid. Just a few (2-4) will do the trick. Remember you are supplementing not providing a buffet.
Using 1:2 (1 part sugar and 2 parts water) will reduce clogging and be more like nectar.
Use them to deliver plain water, especially during high heat or dry periods.

Thymol or Apiguard Varroa Recipe

2010-06-03T06:30:00.004-04:00

Thymol treatment recipe

Ingredients

3.5 Oz. Thymol crystals (handle with care - avoid skin contact)
7 Oz. Crisco or other solid pure vegetable fat (no additives, preservatives or emulsifiers)
24.7 Oz. Superfine or Regular Sugar (Not confectioners)

(sufficient for about 12 colonies)

Instructions

Melt the Crisco in a saucepan and allow it to cool until warm to the touch. Put the sugar into a plastic container and thoroughly mix in the Thymol crystals until all lumps are broken down. Add the sugar/Thymol mixture to the melted Crisco and mix thoroughly until the mixture is the consistency of a paste. If well sealed the mixture may be stored in the bottom of a refrigerator for up to 12 months.

Usage

On a piece of grease-proof paper about 2" square spread about a teaspoon of the mixture so that it is about 1/4" thick and place on top of the brood frames. You can also use any lid with a lip from a food storage container as a tray. The inner cover should allow a bee space above the paste. All ventilation should be closed except a 3/8" wide entrance. Refresh the mixture very two weeks until the drop falls below 2-3 mites per week.

The ambient temperature needs to be above about 59°F unless the hive is insulated. Expanded polystyrene works well (about 3/4" thick) and can be left on all winter.

Note: do not apply the Thymol treatement when supers are still on or at least during main nectar flow. It is also advisable to remove excess winter stores in the spring before the bees transfer it into the supers.

Here is another recipe also.

2010-05-31T09:58:00.000-04:00

E. L. Pratt baby nuclei. Circa about 1900. More info HERE.

Comb honey and extracted honey from same hive

2010-05-31T09:51:00.000-04:00

Looking for a way to get comb AND extracted honey from the same hive? Is this a different hive design? Sure it is, ever see one before? Check out this article.

Bulk bee feeder and/or bee waterer

2010-05-31T09:43:00.005-04:00

It seems that high volume feeders or waterers for bees are just not available or they drown more bees than they feed. At the request of some visitors I started searching for a homemade waterer or feeder for honeybees.

This DIY bee feeder can be used to supply a large volume of water to your bees in areas where water is hard to come by. Today we can use five gallon buckets instead of the metal can as pictured. I found this old design that I think many readers will like it, the one pictured is about two feet long and refills itself as the water level drops.

Auto dog waterer attaches to garden hose

You can also use chicken water feeders, bird baths, "trickle or drip" down bottles and many more items. There is a "Sugar water feeder w/rocks" featured in our DIY section for a quick idea. Automatic dog waters (pictured here) can also be used, I've even seen a toilet tank valve set used along the same idea. On the low tech side, a water hose with a "leaking" cap on the end provides a constant supply of water too.

Many readers may not be aware that bees use water to cool their hives. As summer begins to heat up, keep plenty of water around to aid against swarming and to boost your bee population. To read about how to construct this feeder and/or waterer click HERE. To read about how to make the sugar syrup for bees, read HERE. You can see some feeders/waterers HERE.

Transferring bees - techniques and tools

2010-05-20T07:44:00.003-04:00

Transferring honeybees from one hive design/type to another can be done in many different ways. Recently I found an old book (Farmers Bulletin #961) that covered the topic well and had a nice assortment of photos including ones on the old box hive style. Box hives were long ago the most common hive type. Today they can still be found around the world in various shapes. Cheap to build and they worked fine. Used with modern techniques and practices, they produce nature combs and at a near zero price.

Drumming bees out of a hive is not seen very often and this topic is addressed in this book. Click HERE to read this great old book. Enjoy. Buck

Alley queen rearing hive

2010-05-20T07:08:00.000-04:00

More info HERE.

Swarm trap and $3 bait hives

2010-05-13T07:42:00.007-04:00

Bait hive working

Before we begin building our $3 honeybee swarm trap (swarm box) & bait hive you need some info. I am going to call this a bait hive as this is what most call it. A bait hive should be placed in every apiary to catch swarms from the hives. More than one would be better.

Your bait hive should be placed 15' to 30' up a tree. You will need to be able to lower the hive once it contains bees. In this design, you can throw a rope around a limb near the trunk (this keeps the spinning down) or using a long pipe or stick, you can drop a role of line around the limb. No pipe you say? Try using a spear with the line tie to it (weight is the key). Click on the photos for a larger view.

You will need the following:

Hot glue - It helps to reinforce the weaves and adds strength
A trash basket (cane or wicker works well)
Another basket, piece of cardboard or wood for the front of the hive
Some nylon tie wraps, you could also use twine or small rope
Some old chunks of comb (old, not moldy), if you don't have some, don't worry
Either liquid swarm lure, lemon-grass oil or anise oil (look on the products page if I sell it)
Rope (1/8 or larger, no twine) to hang, lift and lower the bait hive with. (you can also attach a rope to the hive to pull it down, recommended)

There should be no liner in the trash can. The open weave of the basket lets the smell of the honeycombs and the oils out. Use the hot glue to seal the splices of the weave together (see photos) and to reinforce the centers of each basket. This helps to ensure that the hive does not come apart as it hangs outside. This also strengthens the necessary attachments points for the rope.

Hanging loops detail

In one end of the hive you need to cut an entrance about 3/4" x 1 1/2". To big of a hole and you have a bird house and not a swarm trap. You will also need to attach two loops (one at each end) to hang the hive from (see photos).

Before attaching the two halves, place the chunk of old comb inside the hive and rub some lure scent (what ever you have) INSIDE the hive near the entrance or sprinkle it on a cloth and place inside. Don't go crazy with the oil and only use one type. Mate the two halves together and secure with 4 nylon ties. When filled, you cut these loops to get the bees and combs out. Use two ties to make the rope attachment loops at each end. See photos.

Detail of entrance

Find a tree or building to place the hive. Attach a small rope to the loops at each end. This is used to attach the hive to your lifting rope. You can level the hive by moving the knot to one end or the other so the hive hangs level.

Get the rope around the limb and pull the hive up the tree. Tie the end of the rope to the tree, a limb or a nail in the same tree so you can lower the hive. White nylon rope snags a lot on the bark, try a natural rope or poly rope.

Waiting for a swarm

When the bees come, give them some time to check it out. You should lower the hive soon after the swarm comes. If you wait to long they could leave. Consider placing sugar syrup nearby. If after some time you have no bees, try a different oil or maybe another location. Lower the hive and sprinkle the oil on some cloth and place inside. Good luck.

Success

With plywood front - cane basket

Made with a $3 laundry basket and a plywood front. You can see the bees beginning to cluster on the bottom. These bait hives can also be coated with dung, mud or painted paper mache to enclose it more if desired. During swarm season, try placing some form of swarm hive on a stick about 6 feet tall and about 15 feet from your hives. Sometimes YOUR swarm goes right for it.

If your looking for an article on how to use the cone type trap below, HERE is an article by Mannlake.
Below are a few pictures of various other swarm traps. This site has plans available in the DIY section also.

Cone type w/sign

Nuc used as swarm trap

TBH swarm trap

Drawn comb VS. New foundation during honey flow

2010-05-06T09:57:00.003-04:00

Every beekeeper wants "drawn comb" in their hives at nectar flow time. Drawn comb is simply comb that is ready for either honey/pollen storage or ready for brood. Now days, you can purchase drawn combs made of plastic such as "Supercell". Sometimes we also here the term "fully drawn" meaning combs that extend to the full depth of the frame, so that we can separate them from those combs NOT fully built out. If you want your bees to build combs, either you must feed your bees sugar syrup or there must be a nectar flow going on. The most simple way to get combs is to feed the bees 1:1 syrup. The sooner you start feeding, the sooner comb will be made. It is important to regulate the amount of syrup that is eaten by the bees. This done by blocking some holes or areas of the feeder or not putting many holes in a jar feeder (the lid). You want to feed but not over feed. Recipe for syrups here.

If you have found yourself during a nectar flow without drawn combs available, what do you do? You of course have two choices.

Use fully drawn plastic frames such as Supercell.
Install new foundation.
The other is to install frames with wax guides or triangle starters such as used in top bar hives, for the bees to build comb on.

Below is the procedure that may help you when you use new foundation.
Rule #1: Fill any new super or brood box with frames. Do not use 9 or 8 frames in a 10 frame box. What ever size you have, fill it. Otherwise the bees will draw the comb weird.

If your hive is over crowded or you intend to replace the queen use the following instructions:

Find the OLD queen and transfer the frame she is on PLUS most (NOT ALL) of the frames that contain brood and all the adhering bees into a new hive body with a super of new foundation on top of that, and set this ("new colony") on a new stand and feed it 1:1 sugar syrup. The older foraging bees attached to these combs that you have transferred will go out to forage but return to the old colony by "habit". The result is that your "new colony" consists of your old queen, some brood, and the non-foraging nurse bees who will feed the brood larva and draw foundation because of the sugar syrup feed and the incoming nectar.
The old hive will make a new queen from the brood remaining if you have left young eggs and cells in the old hive or you can purchase a new queen and install it.
Your old hive should be a brood box and a new super of new foundation. Many may say this is a mistake as the the foraging bees will not make comb. Your goal is to scent the foundation and make it ready for the emerging new bees. Time is not on your side as the flow has already started.
Monitor both hives. When you have 6 frames of filled honey rearrange the frames so that you have 3 frames honey, 4 frames of new foundation (in the center) and then 3 frames of honey on the other side.

Traditionally, drawn frames where use up to 20 years. Many beekeepers are changing combs on a three year cycle now. Some beekeepers will not use ready made foundation for fear of pesticides in the wax. Are they wrong? I do not think they should be as concerned as they are, but I do not think they are necessarily wrong either.

If you take old dark combs and carefully cut the cells in half, you can see the cocoon that is made inside the cell. You might note that the cell floor has the greatest thickness and increases over time (plugging). The cell walls regardless of age varies little. The bees keep the cells walls groomed. The thought that old cells make smaller bees is only true due to the depth, but even that has limits. It is this thickening of the cell floor that adds strength to the comb and additional protection to the brood.

The cocoon liner protects the brood from any contamination of the cell wall wax. The brood are never in contact with the comb wax until they emerge, as the cell caps are made by the current bees and is fresh with each generation.

Given their choice, bees will always pick older combs over fresh combs. New foundation is quickly covered by cell wall wax made from your bees. The floor of the cell (where the foundation is) is covered by the cocoon from the first generation. If you fear the introduction of pesticides, the best practice is to first limit their use by yourself. Second try getting your neighbors and politicians to limit their use. Thirdly, place you apiary in a area where chemicals are used less. And of course if you still think changing out your combs helps, change them, but don't kid yourself in believing that something that looks bad to you, is bad to the bees. Bees do not eat old wax, that is one thing that wax moths do well. Make comb replacements based upon insect invasions, damage and plugging.