Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: splitrock on June 04, 2011, 12:51:33 PM

Title: Mixing drawn and undrawn frames
Post by: splitrock on June 04, 2011, 12:51:33 PM
I have several med. honey supers, the comb drawn out nicely, and since I have expanded I now have many more un-drawn frames of foundation in these new supers. I am wondering if it would benefit to take a few 2 or 3 frames of the drawn and put them in the new supers.  If so, where would one place them or how would you recommend spacing them?

Thanks in advance.

Joel
Title: Re: Mixing drawn and undrawn frames
Post by: Vance G on June 04, 2011, 07:35:53 PM
Putting a frame or two of drawn comb in your boxes of undrawn foundation will definately help get the bees to move into the box.  Put it in the middle and pack all the foundation tight against it.  When they fill and cap or nearly cap the ones around the drawn one, move the full ones to the outsides. 
Title: Re: Mixing drawn and undrawn frames
Post by: Michael Bush on June 05, 2011, 12:17:02 AM
Assuming you are using them for supers, the problem is that they will extend the drawn comb rather than draw new comb.  So if you have new foundation between drawn combs they will make very fat combs out of what is drawn and ignore the undrawn foundation.  Then the combs will be so fat you can't pull them out of the box unless you flip the box upside down and remove the box first.
Title: Re: Mixing drawn and undrawn frames
Post by: splitrock on June 05, 2011, 07:42:05 AM
Hmmm. Interesting!! I guess it will likely be best to let them draw all new comb then.

Thanks for the assistance.

Joel
Title: Re: Mixing drawn and undrawn frames
Post by: VolunteerK9 on June 05, 2011, 12:26:45 PM
Quote from: splitrock on June 05, 2011, 07:42:05 AM
Hmmm. Interesting!! I guess it will likely be best to let them draw all new comb then.

Thanks for the assistance.

Joel

Or just place them in between two capped frames.