Going from one to 2 story hives

[AdmiralD]

Well, my free polystyreen hive boxes are not beemax compatable. They are smaller than beemax polystyreen hive boxes and a bit thinner too. But my bees are using up the pericomb frames and are at 80-90 % full. I am placing the beemax hive bodys on top of these other boxes that I have and it leaves about a 1/2 in opening on the underside of the boxes. For my area, this may be a good thing since I am 100 miles from the west coast and my area is rather wet. mold and mildew are a problem in this area. So, will use this for ventilation for the time beeing [pun intended].

I have also ordered 2 beemax hive kit with a cedar hive stand for each. I wil transfer the bees into the beemax after preping them...[assemibliy and painting,] I am a bit dissappointed that my orgional hives are not up to standards of beemax. They must be from a renegade company that went out of business...

Anyway, once transfered, I will use these hives for new feral bees that I might run accross...


Anyone see any problems with my plans?

Also, I am looking for some small cell foundation that might have some plastic reinforcement, like the Cell Rite or perrco plastic frames...Any ideas as to where I can get these? and under what names?

[Michael Bush]

When supercell comes out with the fully drawn 4.9mm, assuming it IS 4.9mm, it still only comes in deeps.

4.9mm plastic is available (in deeps only of course) from Dadant.  I would not recommend it with unregressed bees.  If you have them on PermaComb they will be partially regressed (about 5.15mm) so they might draw it all right.  I had NO luck getting unregressed bees to draw it.

http://www.dadant.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=622&osCsid=b856635a23435f5c9c94b939da3e08f9

I'd cut them in half and leave the gap.  I used it in a Dadant deep hive and left the two inch gap at the bottom.  Here's small cell wax cut in half and put in a medium: