BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER > DISEASE & PEST CONTROL

Black Foundation

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tejas:
Is anyone here using black foundation, if so what do you think of it? I'm thinking of trying it in the hive I will be adding next spring.

golfpsycho:
I guess your talking about the plastic foundation?  I have never tried it, but I believe it's black to more closely resemble brood comb.   The hope being that the bees will quickly get it drawn and into use.  

I guess I'm old fashioned.  I have a hard time seeing them on something other than wax. One of these days I will have to try it out.  I saw somewhere that they have small cell plastic, which would work well on the final regression to natural sized bees.

latebee:
Although I am by no means an expert, I have been using the Pierco black plastic frame and foundation for three years now. The bees seem to accept it readily. Just before I use it I sprinkle a 1 to 1 sugar syrup on it and have not had a problem with either the package bees or captured  swarms drawing it out,as long as there is a nectar flow going on coupled with additional syrup feeding. Originally I started useing it because deer mice destroyed my first two colonies(which had wax foundation)------but now I use hardware cloth on the entrance in the winter,and just kept using the plastic because of the convience. Still having a ball---------------------
                                                 latebee

Archie:
Hi,
nearly all of my hives have black plastic foundation with a wax coationg.  some things you should not do.   do not mix plastic foundation and wax foundation in the same hive body.  Keep the plastic foundation in a cool place.  do not expose to the sun.  the wax will melt off and the bees will not draw out the comb.

Archie

Robo:
I have used both white & black in limited quantities.  I don't have any scientific data to back it up, but I seem to like the black better.  Maybe because the eggs are easier to spot on the black background.  The bees don't seem to mind either.   I see now they are making a drone version in green.  Anybody try it yet?

BTW,  Don't try to clean the plastic frames by putting them in a solar melter,  they come out like a crumpled piece of tin foil :shock:

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