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ocba - Re: [ocba] Black plastic frames vs. wax frames

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Subject: Orange County, NC Beekeepers

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  • From: Randall Austin <ra41717 AT gmail.com>
  • To: Lew Hassell <lew.hassell AT gmail.com>
  • Cc: ocba AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [ocba] Black plastic frames vs. wax frames
  • Date: Sun, 16 Jun 2013 19:54:42 -0400

Lew,

Yes, in my experience you have to keep an eye on the bees as they draw comb on plastic. If they do it right, plastic foundation gives very sturdy comb with several advantages. But bees can be very creative as far as drawing it out wrong. If they show that they are drawing it out wrong, cut that bit out and tell them to try again.

The best results come from plastic foundation with a noticeable layer of wax on it (you can scratch it up with your fingernail) drawn during the height of the honey flow.

Randall Austin

On 6/16/2013 3:41 PM, Lew Hassell wrote:
hi, all

I got back from vacation, thus giving my girls a nice rest from my curiosity (I am new to bee keeping).  The original deep had wax foundation and that seemed to go pretty well.  After a month and a half I put another deep on my two hives, but this deep had plastic foundation.  When I came back and checked the top deep (black plastic), not only were they drawing comb on the frames, but they also had drawn comb between the frames, so that when I took the frames out to look at them, there was not only honey dripping, but exposed larva.  Is this normal with black plastic frames?  There didn't seem to be the same problem with the wax frames. 

Thanks

Lew


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