Foundationless beekeeping

[ratcatcher]

My tbh (es) just use triangular wooden strips. Period.

yup, I used that method too in a few TBH, and when they start cross combing, which at some point they may do, you regret it, hence why I moved onto a wax 25mm starter strip,

 

[madasafish]

yup, I used that method too in a few TBH, and when they start cross combing, which at some point they may do, you regret it, hence why I moved onto a wax 25mm starter strip,

Only once did I get cross combing in 4 years... It was the swarm's fault... I inserted a bar with comb at the end of the cross combing and they started growing straight. Next year I sorted the cross combing....when the wax was stronger..

 

[Tom Bick]

Out of interest madasafish do you align your bars north south? I don't but have noticed that when they just so happen to be close to north south the combs tend to be more straight and flat.

 

[cjhart2]

Out of interest madasafish do you align your bars north south? I don't but have noticed that when they just so happen to be close to north south the combs tend to be more straight and flat.

Might be silly question but is that magnetic north south or grid north south , just a matter of interest .

 

[Tom Bick]

Might be silly question but is that magnetic north south or grid north south , just a matter of interest .

It will be magnetic as I don't think the bees read maps there is some talk that bees prefer north south but then some bees don't always build on straight lines. A good test will be to run a swarm into an empty box and see what they do.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

If you can detect magnetic deviation of one degree seven minutes using a top bar as a pointer, I am well impressed.

 

[cjhart2]

It will be magnetic as I don't think the bees read maps there is some talk that bees prefer north south but then some bees don't always build on straight lines. A good test will be to run a swarm into an empty box and see what they do.

It was just a thought as Magnetic declination is constantly changing where as grid / true north does not . Makes an interesting topic about hive positioning , do we do it to the compass or the sun ?

 

[madasafish]

Out of interest madasafish do you align your bars north south? I don't but have noticed that when they just so happen to be close to north south the combs tend to be more straight and flat.

The hive that was cross combed was E-W.

Most of my hives are N-S.. or within 30 degrees of it.. roughly -- as a guess..

I just orientate them facing the midday sun - of a kind.



(Scientific?

 

[cjhart2]

The hive that was cross combed was E-W.

Most of my hives are N-S.. or within 30 degrees of it.. roughly -- as a guess..

I just orientate them facing the midday sun - of a kind.



(Scientific?

just being pedantic , GMT or BST

 

[madasafish]

just being pedantic , GMT or BST

I usually position hives May/June so BST

 

[lebouche]

Just on my collapsing frames that I mentioned before, upon closer inspection I noticed the distortion was where there was a knot in the wood. All my frames are seconds.

 

[Dishmop]

About a month ago I put two foundationless super frames in one of my hives.


Problem is.........dumbo here didnt think to mark them........

 

[Tom Bick]

Oops I have a few supers with foundation and on the foundationless frames often the only way to know what is what I have to look at the side bars to see if I can see any wire. The other give away is drone comb if they built any that is.

 

[Dishmop]

I didnt use any starter strips etc... They have managed ok.

 

[ichbinpaul]

About a month ago I put two foundationless super frames in one of my hives.


Problem is.........dumbo here didnt think to mark them........

You could try lamping them with a strong light as you do with incubated eggs!

 

[Tom Bick]

I didnt use any starter strips etc... They have managed ok.

The best cut comb honey money can buy your only problem finding the frames.

 

[ratcatcher]

The best cut comb honey money can buy your only problem finding the frames.

thats why every frame in mine has starter strips, no full ones

 

[Dishmop]

The best cut comb honey money can buy your only problem finding the frames.

I think I'll just poke my finger in the corner...

 

[Martin G]

Hi Tom,

very interesting, I've been thinking of giving it a go and have found going over the thread a great help.

Have you, or anyone else, thought of inserting a bar, horizontally across the middle of the frame, effectively cutting the frame in half and adding some 'support' (in place of wiring)

I think I'll try a super and see how I get on, perhaps give a brood a go if I pick up a swarm.

Martin

 

[Dishmop]

I will check tomorrow to see f I have in fact got the correct frame/s out and take some pics.