Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: MikeG on May 20, 2007, 09:04:50 PM

Title: My queen doesn't like wires in wired foundation
Post by: MikeG on May 20, 2007, 09:04:50 PM
It's kind of funny, really.

I installed the 3 lb package on Mar 23.  On every frame she has filled, she leaves the cells over the wire empty.

Is this normal?  I'm not going to hold it against her, or even reprimand her.  As long as she does her job properly, I will allow her this idiosyncrasy.   After all, my wife has a few idiosyncrasies that I have to allow also (and vice versa).

Actually, it just tells me that she is very particular or discriminating.  Not a bad trait, huh?

Mike
Title: Re: My queen doesn't like wires in wired foundation
Post by: beelover on May 20, 2007, 09:10:11 PM
kill the bleep
Title: Re: My queen doesn't like wires in wired foundation
Post by: Robo on May 20, 2007, 09:17:57 PM
It is common.  Eventually she might start laying in them after they have had pollen or honey in them. 
Title: Re: My queen doesn't like wires in wired foundation
Post by: Michael Bush on May 20, 2007, 10:34:32 PM
>Is this normal?

Yes.
Title: Re: My queen doesn't like wires in wired foundation
Post by: Brian D. Bray on May 22, 2007, 03:40:11 PM
It is another reason I went to starter strips w/o wires.  Any irregularity along the wired area and the queen wouldn't lay eggs, The bees were more apt to skip the wire areas or not draw them out when building comb, and if foundation broke or cracked along the wire lines the bees would eat holes in the foundation at those spots and leave gapping holes in the comb.  Also if bare wires are placed in a frame the bees may not drawn the frame out beyond the 1st wire. 

I find nothing unusual in your discovery.  It is, IMO, why wires should be melted into the foundation instead of put in with a spur wheel.
Title: Re: My queen doesn't like wires in wired foundation
Post by: Mici on May 22, 2007, 08:07:49 PM
Quote from: Brian D. Bray on May 22, 2007, 03:40:11 PM
It is, IMO, why wires should be melted into the foundation instead of put in with a spur wheel.

if you mean using a battery, or a battery charger the result is the same, skippy brood around the wires.