Today I started a new hive on foundationless frames, what about the honey supers

Started by harvey, April 25, 2010, 11:34:18 PM

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harvey

I am trying a hive foundationless.  What about the honey supers though?   Could I still use dadent plasticell in the supers?  How about if I used plasticell that was already drawn out?   

Kathyp

you can use whatever you want.  i do foundationless in my honey supers.  it makes great cut comb.  it will extract fine if it's attached all the way around and that's not a problem with shallows.  most of the shallow frames i have in now are draw from last year.  i'll put on some empty frames later in the year for the buckwheat cut comb.  do what works for you and your extraction plans.
The people the people are the rightful masters of both congresses and courts not to overthrow the Constitution, but to overthrow the men who pervert it.

Abraham  Lincoln
Speech in Kansas, December 1859

Michael Bush

Ask Kathyp says it's up to you.  I'd go foundationless everywhere.  It also depends on your use of an excluder and how important it is to you to keep the queen from laying in large cells...
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
-------------------
"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin

luvin honey

I'm topbar, but I think the message is the same. I don't exclude queens, have foundationless through. If I can catch a beautiful sheet of pure honeycomb, I do. If it's already been brood, then I crush and strain.
The pedigree of honey
Does not concern the bee;
A clover, any time, to him
Is aristocracy.
---Emily Dickinson

harvey

Well i am looking to be able to use an extractor, it is an old hand crank so I don't have to go super fast.  I have never used an extruder even though I did buy one.  works for cooking hamburgers over charcoal!  I would prefer to keep the bees on natural cell in regards to reproduction to see how that helps with the mites!  Now is natural cell going to be as small as small cell?   better or worse?

Michael Bush

>Well i am looking to be able to use an extractor, it is an old hand crank so I don't have to go super fast.

Just start slow and end fast...

> I have never used an extruder even though I did buy one.  works for cooking hamburgers over charcoal!

One good use for them...

> I would prefer to keep the bees on natural cell in regards to reproduction to see how that helps with the mites!  Now is natural cell going to be as small as small cell?

It will vary more in size.  For worker cells in the brood nest it will probably run from 5.2mm to 4.8mm in the core of the brood nest.

>   better or worse?

The bees think it's better... :)  I tend to go with them...
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
-------------------
"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin