supersedure cells

[buzzbee]

Foundationless does not mean chemical free. It may not be added by the beekeeper,but the bees bring it into the hive. Contaminants gather in the pollen and even on the bees feet when crawling wherever they land. Bees transport water from unknown sources back to the hive for cooling  and honey dilution.
The wax is a great medium for absorption of everything that comes in contact with it.
We as beekeepers try to keep our combs. In nature ,waxmoths and other creatures will often recycle these combs in the natural cycle of things.Every year we keep the combs,the more crap they can absorb.
Take note I am not condemning foundationless in any way, just be aware. :)

[jayj200]

post hole diggers

wonder if she back fills the holes

[GSF]

At the Alabama Beekeepers Association annual meeting they mentioned something along those lines. They said that contrary to popular beliefs that wasn't the case. Someone had completed a study where a group rotated the frames out and a group that didn't touch them. The group that rotated the frames (by removing two from the middle and moving the rest inward then placing the new frames on the outside) The group that did this had a higher loss than the ones who didn't. They also said the groups that rotated had a higher contamination level that the ones who left them in there. They concluded that the old black looking comb was probably coated with a thin layer of propolis keeping the pupa sealed from any possible contaminates.

I can't say if this was a scientific study but it left me with the impression it was. One day I will have had bees long enough to comment on dark comb :-D

[buzzbee]

Propolised combs do factor in. The Bee Informed Partnership came across this in their survets too. I guess my point was that going foundationless will not automatically negate the chemicals in the wax. It may lower the original threshold, but ultimately whayever the bee visits likely comes home with it.

[Eric Bosworth]

Propolised combs do factor in. The Bee Informed Partnership came across this in their survets too. I guess my point was that going foundationless will not automatically negate the chemicals in the wax. It may lower the original threshold, but ultimately whayever the bee visits likely comes home with it.

This is true. I happen to live where pesticides are not widely used. So there isn't that much contamination that they bring in themselves.

[OldMech]

GSF  I'd really like to see some research I can read on this, because it is quite a slap in the face to EVERYTHING I have read in the last 10 years..

   As I understand it, BEEKEEPERS add as much poisons to their hives as the environment. Rotating the comb is to prevent the combination of chemicals from building up. It is the combination that causes the problems, rather than the minute amounts of individual toxins the bees bring back.
   

[GSF]

OldMech, now that you metion it, they said the highest amount of contamination was from beekeeper's treatment. My thinking was like yours when I first heard it. I haven't a clue as to which direction to point you in for the research. I'll try to find out though.