Plastic comb

[trumpet01]

I have my two new hives now. We made them from two splits and queened them with Buckfast queens from Canada. I don't have all of the frames in so the can work on raising brood.I gave them some capped brood,some drawn comb,and some honey. Can I placed fully drawn plastic frames in with what they have ? I'm thinking that they won't have to draw any comb and the queen can start to lay in the plastic comb. Will this work or will she avoid the plastic ?   Thanks, Jim <><

[HAB]

I'm still new at this but,  if its drawn comb it has already been accepted by bees in the past so I don't see any problem.
Of course I'm still learning so don't put that in stone just yet! :)

I thought you were going to use old drawn comb on plastic foundation.    8-)

[trumpet01]

I believe it is called permacomb. Where can you get it, and can you mix it in with the other frames in the brood box ?  Jim <><

[Robo]

It is either permacomb (mediums) or Honey Super Cell (deeps).   Yes you can mix them in, but if they are brand new,  they won't be to anxious to use it and will most likely avoid it as long as they can and will stick to the drawn wax comb or draw out foundation.


rob...

[Brian D. Bray]

When using plastic comb the longer you can air them out the better.  To the extent that if you buy them in the fall and air them out all winter the bees will work them better but a little syrup sprayed on them when putting them into the hives helps too.  IMO the longer you can air out plastic frames the better--2 years, or even 3 would be even better.

[Michael Bush]

Seems like limiting them to only what you want them to work (and what they are already using) is the best way to get them to use plastic.  In other words, add the PermaComb.  Don't expect them to work it until they are finished filling what they have.  Don't add wax foundation frames in addition and expect them to ever get to the PermaComb.