BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER > DOWN UNDER BEEKEEPING

who uses plastic frames?

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squidink:
I am more of a traditionalist but have been scouring the internet and see that some people are using plastic frames.
Who Down Under uses them? (Other countries as well) What are the pro’s and con’s you have found using the plastic frames? And what’s the approximate lifetime of a plastic frame?

Ben

Meadlover:
Ben,

if you fill out your location in your information we can give you some better advice.

If you're in warm areas, ie QLD I would not even consider the full 1 piece plastic frames as there are way too many crevices for SHB to hide in.

Plastic foundation I have used but don't like. The bees don't seem to like is as much either. In my hives they draw it MUCH slower, and make much more brace comb on it. If you want to cut out a queen cell etc it's much harder with plastic foundation. The bees can't modify it at all, eg sometimes they make holes to travel between frames on wax foundation frames.

I have tried to get rid of all of my plastic foundation and have gone for foundationless frames. I have not thrown the plastic foundation out though as one day I may use them in an emergency, or for a swarm trap or something.

ML

boca:
In my opinion plastic will be more and more widely used. They have so many advantages that it is difficult to list them all in a post.
Disadvantages? I hear some are disappointed. Perhaps they had the bad luck of a low quality product, or not used correctly. There is a variety on the market.

I tried out the plastic frames of Nicot. Perfect.
It is not only foundation but partially the walls are drawn out. It does not need waxing. I hived a swarm on it and the queen started to lay eggs as soon the bees warmed it up. Only later they finished the cells with wax.

If it is used for honey, the nectar is deposited immediately without any wax.

Meadlover:

--- Quote from: boca on September 16, 2011, 05:04:01 am ---They have so many advantages that it is difficult to list them all in a post.

--- End quote ---

Do you have SHB problems in your area?
If we didn't have such a SHB problem here in Subtropical QLD I would probably find the plastic frames/foundation less counterproductive than foundationless.

ML

boca:

--- Quote from: Meadlover on September 16, 2011, 08:49:27 am ---Do you have SHB problems in your area?
If we didn't have such a SHB problem here in Subtropical QLD I would probably find the plastic frames/foundation less counterproductive than foundationless.

--- End quote ---

No. Fortunately we don't have it.
Would it make a difference in the context of using plastic frames? .. other than it is straightforward to clean and disinfect the plastic and to put them back as new ones.

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