Foundation in Super frames.

[Swarm]

Very nice Tom.

 

[Tom Bick]

Thanks for the interesting pics, Tom. The proof will be in the pudding....i.e. will you be able to lift them out vertically after the bees have built comb to their own design.
r

The only difference in their own design Richard is the amount of drone comb about 20% but to me that is good ( have a theory on that but some will have kittens if they hear it) The combs are sometimes not perfectly flat as with frames of foundation but not so bad as to hinder lifting out the frames even with minimal space. One day they will do something weird I know. The fact that the bees don’t attach comb to the bottom third of the side bars and the bottom bars keeps you on your toes as the bees love to hide queen cells they sneak them in and say spot that one if you can and I always say you have to try harder than that girls.

 

[Tom Bick]

Sorry to the OP as this thread has been side tracked but Liam this is a great chance to experiment with trying foundationless frames in next year’s supers.

Simply pull the wire from a sheet of foundation and cut it into 25mm wide strips and fit into frames as normal. You can do 1-2-3 or more frames mixed with frames of foundation. Mark the top bars so you know the foundationless frames although it is easy to spot the wire and you will get the most amazing cut comb honey with all natural wax or even if you are carful extracted honey and watch the bees building comb the way they should.

 

[richardbees]

Yes, they do like to play "find the queen" but then again so do the denizens of Old Compton Street, Soho

 

[Erichalfbee]

Mark the top bars so you know the foundationless frames although it is easy to spot the wire and you will get the most amazing cut comb honey

Absolutely!!!
I managed nearly two supers of cut comb. One was fitted out with thin unwired foundation in Manley frames and that was drawn out perfectly from end to end and from top to bottom.
The other super I put unwired alternated with just a starter strip and the "virgin" comb was wonderful,if not as chunky as that in the Manleys. In retrospect I think I should have put this super on the stronger hive.
I will definitely do this again.
Putting starter strips in the brood is the next experiment.....but only in the one box....for now.