O.K. everyone, it's time for the GreenBtree silly question of the day. Why is there two holes cut in the corners of the foundation I have? I got a fair amount of used and new stuff when I got my first hives including a stack of new foundation with these holes. Most of the mounted foundation in the frames I got don't have holes. So what gives?
JC
Its to allow the bees to move from frame to frame easier but I just don't know if it really makes that much of a difference.
I have purchased foundation that had the corners cut some were solid through and through.
...JP
It sounds like you have Duragilt, which it is my understand that they are called "Communication Holes".
In reading a new book on beekeeping, the author says that even with a solid wax foundation that the bees will eat away some and make holes.
They say that the bees can more easily communicate using vibrations on in the comb from one side to the other, which is not so if the foundation is solidly connected on all 4 sides.
Does the foundation with holes have metal edges? It might be Duragilt plastic foundation, pretty good stuff until the beeswax comes of of it.
Yes, it has metal edges, I'm pretty sure it is Duragilt also, from the pictures I see in the Betterbee catalog. The bees sure do seem to like it. I'm going to put in an order soon and am going to get some black Pierco to try. I have a heck of a time spotting eggs. Wish I had the eyes that I had twenty years ago, sigh... But I probably will get some of both, the bees draw out the Duragilt really fast. The two swarms I picked up are growing fast, I need more frames and deeps.
I have decided that this is why all the beekeepers that I have seen in person or in pictures have hives that look neglected - who ever has spares so that they can fix them up and paint them? :-D
JC
I run black Pierco foundation in a couple of hives that I like to graft out of...just makes it easier for me...foundationless in all the others. I would caution you to re-wax the plastic even if it's "pre-waxed". They seem to take to it a lot quicker if the wax coating is fairly thick.
Scott