Bees that accept plastic frames

[SteveHLD]

I'm in my second year keeping bees. I am aware that the use of plastic frames tends to cause heated discussion so no condescending or damning remarks please. I think plastic frames are beautiful from the point of view of inspecting the colony. For you who have never used them the eggs and larva stand out against the dark background - eg brilliant for spotting a little brood, like last year when I found the 4 eggs/larva produced by a duff queen. The frames don't get stuck together nor the lugs get sticking. Okay they are not natural but neither is living in a wooden box with thin walls. The problem with plastic frames is that often the bees don't like them so much. From what I have read some beekeepers report that they draw comb well and others report that they make duff bits of combs on the frames, and only draw the frames, if at all, in nectar flows or if fed. My experience is somewhere in between. I wonder whether some "breeds" of bee are better at it - is acceptance in the genes? Has anyone selected this characteristic when breeding bees and has this improved acceptance? Meanwhile I will give them a bit of wax foundation too try.

 

[sugarbush]

Coat well with fresh melted capping wax and they will draw them just as well as wax foundation. I don't know that there is any ability to select for eagerness to work plastic frames.

 

[masterBK]

I don't have any experience of plastic foundation but decades with beeswax foundation. In my apiary there are some colonies that are good at drawing foundation and building combs and others that make a right pigs ear of it. It does seem from my experience that there is a genetic basis for it so I imagine if you have bees that draw wax foundation well they should do the same for the plastic stuff.

 

[SteveHLD]

I have coated the frames with melted foundation wax at about 90 degrees Centigrade using a rollerwith the aim of getting it on in such a thin layer that you can not really see it unless you look closely. Is that about right? I am interested that some bee colonies draw comb better than others. So It sounds that my best bet is to get a queen from someone whose bees do draw comb on plastic.

 

[Quis Custodiet]

I have coated the frames with melted foundation ................

Sometimes foundation sheets have been made from adulterated wax. Cappings wax, as previously suggested would be better. Failing that, premium cut comb foundation from a reputable manufacturer would be an alternative.
Does anyone remember cardboard foundation?

 

[madasafish]

I am using Mann Lake's Ritecell as a trial. Very successful so buying more.

 

[chrisb]

I have been using rightcell, they do draw it faster if it gets a slight additional coat of wax.

 

[Bosleeu]

My bees seem to love the Ritecell, it is also cheap and a dream to extract. I don't add any more wax - it comes with a very thin coat and the bees take to it readily.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

 

[SteveHLD]

Unfortunately Mann Lake has closed it's outlet in the UK and shipping rates from US are prohibitive. I have plastic frames from Pierco and Swienty and they look identical. Has anyone any idea where I might some black cell-rite for medium boxes?

 

[tidymeup]

I believe you can still buy this through http://www.bee-equipment.co.uk/

 

[B+.]

From what I have read some beekeepers report that they draw comb well and others report that they make duff bits of combs on the frames, and only draw the frames, if at all, in nectar flows or if fed. .

I have about 800 black Pierco frames which I have had for quite a few years.
I don't think it is so much a racial thing because I have given them to swarms and pure carnica. They both seem quite happy with plastic.
I believe it is more to do with when they are given. On a heavy flow - no problem. After mid-summer in a normal year - rubbish! You can scrape them down to the midrib and give them back next year though. You can't do that with beeswax foundation.

 

[Hivemaker.]

You can't do that with beeswax foundation.

You most certainly can.

 

[B+.]

You most certainly can.

Ok. Perhaps I should rephrase that. Whenever I do it, it tears holes in the foundation (especially on a hot July day when the wax is soft)

Don't get me wrong though. I'm not a huge fan of plastic....but for other reasons. I think it is just too easy to lose track of how long the frames have been in use, leading to the potential build up of pathogens and causing disease. I've never had this happen myself but it is a (theoretical) concern I have.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Ok. Perhaps I should rephrase that. Whenever I do it, it tears holes in the foundation (especially on a hot July day when the wax is soft)

Done it lots of times with combs of heather, a Smith cutter can be used or a semi sharp table spoon, a few combs may tear, but the bees very soon put that right the following season.

Never done any extracting of any kind during a hot July day, unlikely I would ever be doing that.

For scraping honeycomb down to midrib leaving frame and foundation ready for re-use. Also for partly crystallised combs of Oil Seed **** honey.

http://www.beekeeping.co.uk/smith-cutter-scraper-hea02

 

[chrisb]

I believe you can still buy this through http://www.bee-equipment.co.uk/

Yep just had 60 delivered

 

[sugarbush]

I am interested that some bee colonies draw comb better than others. So It sounds that my best bet is to get a queen from someone whose bees do draw comb on plastic.[/QUOTE)
If the colony doesn't have a good population of young bees they have a really hard time drawing comb. Older bees have to regress to excrete wax.

 

[SteveHLD]

They sell frames for brood and supers but unfortunately not Mediums.

 

[B+.]

They sell frames for brood and supers but unfortunately not Mediums.

Are you looking for black or white medium frames?
http://www.----------------.co.uk/l...ations/Langstroth-Pierco-Medium-Plastic-Frame

 

[chrisb]

They sell frames for brood and supers but unfortunately not Mediums.

For langstroth ? codes for natural colour foundation ritecell

brood FN-700
medium super FN-770
shallow super FN-745