foundationless

[tincan]

I had 6 packages yesterday put 4 on drawn comb  and 2 with one frame of foundation and the rest  of the frames empty with just Popsicle stick guide opened hives today all queen out of cages and  2 foundationless frames in each hive 1/3 drawn out .dont know if completely drawn but a real good start. they even had 3 " of comb built on the queen cages. seem to be building faster than other past packages that were on foundation. will they keep this pace up or slow down

[Steel Tiger]

They should keep the pace up as long as they have food, are warm, and need comb.

[Georgia Boy]

I am new but have been told and read bees will always draw the foundationless frames faster than any type of foundation frames.

They like to draw what they need and don't like to be made to draw what they don't.

In a sheet of foundation the cells are all the same size, be it 4.9, 5.0 or 5.4. When the bees are left to their own accord, their natural comb has varying cells of many different sizes. Large cells for drone, smaller cells for workers and deeper cells for honey.

As for the speed.... What Steel Tiger said.

David

[Steel Tiger]

I am new but have been told and read bees will always draw the foundationless frames faster than any type of foundation frames.
David

I have a theory on that. Foundationless frames are built faster because both sides are drawn at the same time. A frame with foundation, the bees may have one side almost complete before working on the other side.
Like I said, it's just a theory.

[Kathyp]

steel, i think your theory has merit :-)

[Finski]

.
If bees draw faster combs, it has no meaning.
Brood cycle is 3 weeks and the queen does not lay the cells tomorrow.

If I have several swarms, some make foundations faster than others.
But even the slowest starts to rear brood and that has a meaning.

[Michael Bush]

I think bees view foundation as damaged comb in need of repair.  It requires the bees to make decisions about how to repair it.  Foundationless is how they draw comb.  It is their instinctive process and requires no decisions.

[Finski]

.
Bees must graw foundation wax thinner. Perhaps it is not so easy than handle wax scales.
But I cannot see any problems in foundation building.

[tincan]

I know so far im very happy with my first try at foundationless they are building nice straight comb so far and very busy bringing in pollen but I dont know from what bright yellow almost orange ,  trees are just starting to bloom

[Steel Tiger]

I know so far im very happy with my first try at foundationless they are building nice straight comb so far and very busy bringing in pollen but I dont know from what bright yellow almost orange ,  trees are just starting to bloom

I'm sure if you look around, you'll find dandelions, tulips, daffodils, and all sorts of small flowers growing in the grass.

[tincan]

maybe but our snow just went away last thursday 100 miles west had 17" of snow its wisconsin if you dont like the weather wait 10 minutes it will change but maybe not  for the better

[Steel Tiger]

maybe but our snow just went away last thursday 100 miles west had 17" of snow its wisconsin if you dont like the weather wait 10 minutes it will change but maybe not  for the better

We have the same saying here. "If you don't like the weather, wait a minute."

[tincan]

fishing season opened saturday and northwest 100 miles still 20" of ice on the lakes crazy year