gone foundationless; cells seems bigger than older frames ?!

[mushmushi]

Hello.

I have decided to go foundationless. I still had wax sheets, so I cut them into 7-8 pieces (deep frames) in order to create starter strips. The bees were building it extremely fast. However,
I could not stop noticing that the cells were quite big.

I have added them mostly to the honey supers but slowly started replacing old comb and I've used them when doing splits.

Are the bees building drone comb ? Should I be worried about it ?

Here are the pictures (waiting for admin approval):
http://picasaweb.google.ca/lh/photo/SsB6JjLM5w0ds5GCzGzwDak8UG3YC8jcG0T_RMoFLEw?feat=directlink
http://picasaweb.google.ca/lh/photo/uWEPHO2TZbhbOwuB3mn-zKk8UG3YC8jcG0T_RMoFLEw?feat=directlink
http://picasaweb.google.ca/lh/photo/cKRP6XSBM-BDBjWFUICD2qk8UG3YC8jcG0T_RMoFLEw?feat=directlink
http://picasaweb.google.ca/lh/photo/zA0R0AUjnWTuz5S7O5nxe6k8UG3YC8jcG0T_RMoFLEw?feat=directlink
http://picasaweb.google.ca/lh/photo/Q-gev8gR_xmu4DACMHzE6qk8UG3YC8jcG0T_RMoFLEw?feat=directlink
http://picasaweb.google.ca/lh/photo/au72eb8P9hP1r-QWmziC06k8UG3YC8jcG0T_RMoFLEw?feat=directlink


Since I have started using these frames, it seems to me that bees have stopped building extra comb underneath frames :)

[bigbearomaha]

sometimes, bees raised on 'standard sized' foundation take awhile to 'regress' to remembering how to make it according to their own needs/interests.  They picked up the 'program' the foundation forced on them and it will take a while, for it to all come back.


Big Bear

[VolunteerK9]

Don't take what I say as by no means as being right, but aren't honey cell sizes bigger than brood cell sizes? So if you added the foundationless frames in the honey super, then that might account for the size difference. I've got a little of everything in my boxes, but one thing for sure I have learned, is to place the foundationless between brood frames to be drawn out first. Going to 100% foundationless in the honey super has accounted for some very thick and wavy comb which makes removal a little tedious.

[BjornBee]

The best place to draw foundationless comb is between two already drawn combs in the brood chamber.

K9 is probably correct in that they are making honey storage cells.

Draw the comb in the brood chamber. Brood comb can be used for about anything, even small drones.  :roll:  But honey sized cells really can't be used for much more than honey and drones.

[mushmushi]

Hum.

You are probably right. The comb that was drawn in the honey supers is definitely bigger; I don't see why I would use them for brood so I will continue using them for honey storage.

I alway try to put foundationless comb between two already build combs (either brood or honey storage).

So there is no reason to get worried  8-)

[FRAMEshift]

The great thing about foundationless is that the bees build what they want.  The bad thing about foundationless is that the bees build what they want.  :-D  If they are in the honey supers, they will build big cells.  If they are in the brood nest and they have been forced to draw out 5.4 mm cells, the first thing they will do with their new freedom is build drone comb, because they can.  I would suggest adding foundationless to the brood core in the spring to open the brood nest.  Actually, if you are wanting to get natural comb, you should get all the old foundation out as soon as possible.

[AllenF]

Your frames are wired up very well.