Does foundation matter?

[mattjames74]

I'm looking at ordering some foundation for this year. Does the quality of said foundation matter?

What's the following foundation like from:
Abelo
Simon the beekeeper
Thones

Should I pay more for my foundation? Do the bees care? Are there any other recommendations?

 

[The Poot]

I'm looking at ordering some foundation for this year. Does the quality of said foundation matter?

What's the following foundation like from:
Abelo
Simon the beekeeper
Thones

Should I pay more for my foundation? Do the bees care? Are there any other recommendations?

I’ve bought “cheaper” foundation and found the wires stuck to the surface and the quality poor.
I have never regretted buying Thornes Premium. A little more expensive but, in my view worth the difference.

 

[Dodge]

Yes foundation very much matters for certain situations.

If you are going to sell / eat comb or do cut comb then you want ultra thin unwired comb. Easy to forget about this aspect.

As a separate not although it's not the quality don't forget that drone comb in supers can improve the amount of honey in a super.

Drone comb placed in the brood box can be used for an integrated Varoa management system if you do drone brood sacrifice.

 

[inthewoods]

be careful what you buy of the bay .some of it stinks nothing like wax .it might seem a good buy .
i found paynes to be the best so far.even better in the sales...thats not saying i would not try others..

 

[sipa]

Quality matters.
We buy all of ours (which is a lot) from Peter Kemble of KBS. In my opinion it's the highest quality available in the UK. Looks great, smells lovely and the bees never fail to draw it quickly.
You will pay a bit more, but it's worth it. Even as a commecial operation it's something we won't compromise on.

I have no affiliation to this business, save for being a long term customer.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Kemble is great but I buy all my foundation from Maisemores never found fault with it. Personally, I think the 'premium' from Thornes is no better than any other, but some people feel more comforted if they pay more for something.

 

[Murox]

I have used different types of foundation from all three of the suppliers you mentioned and have never had an issue with any. There is a noticeable 'to the eye difference' between the premium range mentioned by @The Poot and others. Can't say I have noticed the bees showing preference so far.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Kemble or Maisemore for me

 

[robmort]

No foundation for me.

 

[Anduril]

As has been stated, certain ebay foundation is suspect, there was a London company a number of years ago that was selling foundation that didn't smell of beeswax, probably chinese. In Belgium, larvae were dying on the foundation that was being sold from somewhere abroad, it had a mixture of different waxes. The main suppliers in the UK as stated above are good and I've bought Hungarian foundation from Old Castle Farm, that was good.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I've bought Hungarian foundation from Old Castle Farm, that was good.

haven't used it but Ian showed me some at the pre covid tradex and it looked, felt and smelt like excellent stuff, nice and thick

 

[ericbeaumont]

bought Hungarian foundation from Old Castle Farm, that was good.

Four or five years ago I bought some in an emergency and it was the worst I've ever had. It was too thick, very yellow and cracked and shattered as soon as you looked at it. Cold weather? No, even in a heatwave it still shattered.

 

[Anduril]

haven't used it but Ian showed me some at the pre covid tradex and it looked, felt and smelt like excellent stuff, nice and thick

It was drawn out very quickly.

 

[Swarm]

Four or five years ago I bought some in an emergency and it was the worst I've ever had. It was too thick, very yellow and cracked and shattered as soon as you looked at it. Cold weather? No, even in a heatwave it still shattered.

My friend had the same problem.

 

[Rory Fields]

Four or five years ago I bought some in an emergency and it was the worst I've ever had. It was too thick, very yellow and cracked and shattered as soon as you looked at it. Cold weather? No, even in a heatwave it still shattered.

I've had the same and too small a fit from bee-equipment in the past - nobody's surprised! Maisemore for me - excellent quality but also, if you do chequerboard with David Evans' foundationless frames, you only need buy wax every few years and the 20% off when you spend over £200 makes it a no-brainer for me. I bought some 4yrs ago and still have a good seasons worth left for 100 hives

 

[bpmurray]

I swapped wax for foundation from Thornes at the UBKA conference. It was nearly black. I have no idea what's I it, but I have to admit I'm concerned. Never again - it'll be Donegal Bees for swap from now on.

 

[Antipodes]

Yes foundation very much matters for certain situations.

If you are going to sell / eat comb or do cut comb then you want ultra thin unwired comb. Easy to forget about this aspect.

As a separate not although it's not the quality don't forget that drone comb in supers can improve the amount of honey in a super.

Drone comb placed in the brood box can be used for an integrated Varoa management system if you do drone brood sacrifice.

These guys only use high purity cappings beeswax for thin comb honey foundation.

https://beeswax.co.nz/beeswax-comb-foundation/

 

[Erichalfbee]

I swapped wax for foundation from Thornes at the UBKA conference. It was nearly black.

The foundation you bought was nearly black? Do you have a picture?

 

[bpmurray]

The foundation you bought was nearly black? Do you have a picture?

I've put a reminder in my calendar to take a pic in the morning ...

 

[bpmurray]

I've put a reminder in my calendar to take a pic in the morning ...

OK, black was an exaggeration - I felt it was much too dark when I looked at it last. Now I see it's not almost black, but rather coffee-coloured, still much too dark. The one on the right is from last year and it's classed as "standard" while the dark stuff is classed "premier". To my eye, the wax on the right is clean while the stuff on the left is similar to what I might get on a first pass when cleaning it. The wax I swapped looked cleaner and was the colour of the wax on the right. Perhaps I've missed something, but I have always thought of wax as being yellow, not brown.