starter strips

[ajm]

  I am new to beekeeping and have alot to learn.  I need a basic course because the amount to learn is overwhelming.  But what are starter strips, benefits and do they bring disarray to the hive as far as comb structure and amount of frame to be put into hive boddies?

[tillie]

If you'll put "starter strips" in the search window, you'll find lots of previous posts on the subject.

Linda T in Atlanta

[Michael Bush]

>I am new to beekeeping and have alot to learn.  I need a basic course because the amount to learn is overwhelming.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesbasics.htm
http://www.bushfarms.com/beeslearning.htm

> But what are starter strips, benefits

No foundation to buy, wire, put in etc.  No contamination from the wax.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesfoundationless.htm

>  No control over cell size causing varroa problems.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesnaturalcell.htm

> and do they bring disarray to the hive as far as comb structure and amount of frame to be put into hive boddies?

No.  You can use standard frames with starter strips.  You can put wood in for starter strips.  You can make a triangular guide to put on the bottom of the bars for starter strips.  They mess up the strips less often than they mess up plastic foundation and about the same amount they mess up wax foundation.

[tillie]

I am so glad that Michael Bush responded to you.  I gave my short nothing response and left to go out to dinner and then felt guilty that I hadn't addressed your question - Michael is so patient with all of us....

The only thing I would add to what he responded is that a number of the beekeepers on this forum, including me, are trying to get our bees to be as chemically free as possible.  When you use starter strips, then you are limiting the amount of man-made (and usually contaminated with poison from chemically treated hives) foundation that you are putting in the hive. 

I see the advantage to starter strips as:

1.  Your bees get to build their own choice of cell size, thus hurrying up the process of "natural cell" beekeeping
2.  You limit the amount of poison from contaminated foundation in your hives (if this is a goal)
3.  You save money because one sheet of foundation can be cut into numerous strips of 3/4 inch in depth

Michael's site covers all of the above and more in much more detail, so do go to the references he gave you.

Linda T more patient after a delicious dinner in the mountains of N GA

[Michael Bush]

You were right.  A search will present even more information and many discussions.

[ajm]

  I have just finished reading the responses and the references that were given.  It was insightful to say the least.  Is the foundationless only for comb honey or can it be uncapped and extracted?  I will be hanging around the sight to learn how to keep bees and to interact with other keepers.  I appreciate the help and willingness of the members. 
 
Thanks

ajm

[tillie]

My understanding is that using foundationless or starter strips is about the bees and the size of cells in which the eggs will be laid.  Encouraging or rather allowing the bees to build their own size cells increases the odds that they will grow workers in smaller cells and thus combat the varroa mite.

When you are deciding about honey harvest, there are other considerations.  You can do comb honey in special supers that make what's known as "ross rounds" or Walt Kelley sells another super system that I purchased but then my hives didn't do well through the winter and you need at least a strong second year hive to do comb honey.

However, you can do cut comb honey the first year.  For that I use thin surplus foundation either in regular size or 7-11 (new experiment for me this year)

If you are planning to extract your honey with a mechanical extractor, you may want wired frames and foundation to endure the force of the extractor.  If you are going to harvest via crush and strain (search with those terms to find out how to do that) you'll want unwired foundation that is wax with no plastic base.  I am biased in the direction of crush and strain for the small number of hive beekeeper....it's easy and the honey tastes better than any you'll get any other way.

There are references on this site for honey harvesting, you can search my blog: beekeeperlinda.blogspot.com and Michael Bush's site for crush and strain, although I also think there are plenty of good posts on this forum about all of this.

Linda T in the north Ga mountains

[Michael Bush]

>Is the foundationless only for comb honey or can it be uncapped and extracted?

I do both all the time.  You have to wait until the comb is a little mature or it's too soft to extract, but once it's a few weeks old and attached a little bit on all four sides, it extracts fine if you're gentle with it, which you should be anyway, as even wired foundation will blow out if you're not.

It's not worth buying an extractor for a hive or two.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesharvest.htm