starter strips

[newguy]

when putting in empty frames with starter strips, should the frames go between frames of drawn comb so that the bees will build comb in the center of the empty frame?  or can i put a whole super of empty frames with starter strips? thanks

[sean]

place them between the drawn out frames.

[Michael Bush]

With a starter strip you can put them anywhere, but the odds of getting a perfect comb are always better between two perfect brood combs.

[Brian D. Bray]

Unless you're starting a swarm or package, with either of those they will draw the comb almost perfectly with nothing but the starter strips.  I have now gone beyond starter strips, I take out the wax retaining bar and mount it sideways, like a rib along the top bar.  I then apply a thin wax coating to the rib and install it in the hive.  I've also found that if I spray the foundationless frame with sugar syrup that the bees will get started a little quicker, be more prone to follow the rib when you have no other frames available, and draw from the top down.  I had a minor problem of the bees wanting to build comb from the bottom bar up when I put on a super of foundationless or starter strips.  When building from the bottom up they were more prone to end up with interesting shapes with the comb.