Here are some odd things that seem to be happening with my foundationless experiments: or maybe not? Does any of this seem related to foundationless frames in your experience?
-!00% foundationless with a new package:
The bees went to town at first and completely built comb and filled the 9 frames in the first super. I added the second super BELOW thinking that they'd like to build down, and also to keep the brood nest warm at the top. Since then they have partially filled three frames below and are not using it for much - meanwhile, it looks as if they swarmed today! (The swarm was nearby and I was able to capture it easily). The upper deep which had been pretty heavy with honey is quite light, esp one very deep comb they had built and filled with honey which is now empty. There are fewer bees, and virtually no brood. Why would they swarm with so much room - unless it was because there was room but not enough comb?
-transitioning a hive on foundation to foundationless:
The bees were in an upper deep (all old drawn foundation) and never moved down to the lower deep (half drawn, half new bare frames). They've been using a little of the frames with drawn comb there for pollen storage, but that's it, and they have drawn NONE of the empty frames. Instead, the queen just moved up into the honey supers (as described elsewhere).