What to do with frames of undrawn foundation?

[JamezF]

I've just found a super full of undrawn foundation in the apiary. I must have forgotten I had it or put it in the wrong stack or something. Easily done given that I moved the apiary from one side of the house to the other last winter. Anyhow, it would have been on a hive last summer and has been sitting outside in a covered stack of supers on a spare hive stand since it came off the hive at the end of the season. The foundation feels slightly brittle rather than pliable as it was when the frame was assembled.

Any thoughts on re-using the frames as is?

James

 

[blackcloud]

Hairdryer over it until it slightly sweats
Works occasionally

 

[blackcloud]

Or heat them up and roll them tightly with a bit of string inside.
Sell them at a craft fair for nine quid each.
Not cynical at all.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

j

Any thoughts on re-using the frames as is

just chuck them on, I've had loads out in a stack all winter (deeps and shallows) in fact I have most years - the bees don't seem bothered and draw it out just the same - without faffing around with a hairdryer

 

[Finman]

One day bees will draw them.

If you get a swarm, give foundation to them

 

[Dodge]

If they have a strong enough flow and are struggling for space they will draw them out.

 

[Newbeeneil]

I have a blowtorch in my van and any old undrawn foundation I give a quick flash with it just before I put it on a hive. You just need to warm enough to see the wax change tone as the oils in the wax are revived.

 

[Beesnaturally]

The hairdryer thing works, though you get a nicer result if you cut some ply pieces to hold them straight while you work and cool them. In a packet you can refub them in your fridige warmer - I think around 35 or 40 deg does it. More and they start sticking together. You could put them in in their frames if your machine is large enough. Sunlight works well too, if you get the right sort of day.

 

[blackcloud]

I had some foundation from a couple of years ago they wouldn't draw,but the heat trick restored it.

I've found the occasional batch of cheap foundation is repellent to them they won't even walk on it and start fattening out the brood frames again.

Put a sheet in from another pack in alongside and they are over it like a rash.
I'd rather buy a scratchcard with that money

 

[Finman]

I had some foundation from a couple of years ago they wouldn't draw,but the heat trick restored it.

I have used 60 years foundations, and I have never heated foundations.

Bees draw foundations when they are ready to do it. I use to give 2 boxes foundations per hive during main yield. Then I have new combs enough for next year.

 

[Amaranth]

I warm stale foundation with a hairdryer and find that if unsupported, it can sag out of shape. I fold a tea towel to the right size to support the wax just a little smaller than the frame size and that works well.

 

[Do224]

Is it worth painting sugar syrup on old foundation (or any foundation actually) to encourage the to draw it or is it unnecessary/counter productive?

I think I remember reading about doing this somewhere on the forum

 

[Finman]

Is it worth painting sugar syrup on old foundation (or any foundation actually) to encourage the to draw it or is it unnecessary/counter productive?

I think I remember reading about doing this somewhere on the forum

Endless tricks of beekeepers...

 

[Finman]

Once I got old foundations. The owner had died 15 years ago. I put them into frames and bees fraw them as all others

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Is it worth painting sugar syrup on old foundation (or any foundation actually) to encourage the to draw it or is it unnecessary

Not at all worth the waste of time. It seems to be an obsession with hobby beekeepers that bees won't draw wax on foundation that has been out from the shop for longer than a week.
As Finnie says - they will draw it when they need it.

 

[Beesnaturally]

Not at all worth the waste of time. It seems to be an obsession with hobby beekeepers that bees won't draw wax on foundation that has been out from the shop for longer than a week.
As Finnie says - they will draw it when they need it.

It really isn't my experience. They just avoid it, half draw it - left to right or front to back. They obviously don't take to it as they do nice fatty yellow foundation, which must mean they'll overload elsewhere until they are forced to. If one option is the brood nest that means less room for the queen to lay, means less brood and more swarm pressure. And of course there is half-old foundation and very old foundation(and everything inbetween... the older and dryer and less reponsive to warmth is it, my guess, the more likely it is they won't like it. Anyway I can't see it worth not softening them up.

I've had some white foundation turn up from some corner this year, which wouldn't turn yellow, but under warmth it did lose the matt finish and become semi transparent. Seemed very thin. I haven't noticed any avoidance anywhere yet, so I'm guessing that was ok.

I suspect the phenomenon will show up more after midsummer when they seem to become more reluctant to draw.