starter strips

[kansas]

What is the official name of the starter strips?  Do you have to get a different kind of frame to put them on the underside of the top bar?  I use duragilt(spelling?) foundation and have to break off half of the underside then renail it in order to secure the foundation. 
What are some sources for the strips?

[Mici]

nomen officiales: stripus starterus

:-D

usually people embed foundation with a car battery or car battery umm filler? at least i think so and i do so. so...instead of a whole sheet of foundation you put a strip of that foundation.

[Kathyp]

What is the official name of the starter strips?

starter strips  :-)

What are some sources for the strips?

bigger pieces cut down to starter strips.

i use wax foundation.  i cut the strips from full size sheets and secure them with melted wax.  i have found an old glass syringe (purchased on ebay) to be the easiest way to apply melted wax.

i hope someone can help you with the duragilt question.  i think someone has done the starter strips with it, but don't remember who.  try a search??

[doak]

If you use wedge top type frames I can't understand why you'ed have to use any type filler/glue.
I use wedge top exclusively, even for plastic foundation.
doak

[qa33010]

   I cut mine six cells deep and pour wax into the top groove, with the strip in the groove, to secure it in.  I tried with just wedging the strips in with the top wedge last year and more than half fell as comb was drawn out.  So I went to wax.  No problems.

[doak]

I put pressure on the wedge and hold it there as I tack it in.
doak

[Understudy]

The offical name of starter strips is:
tiras del arrancador
прокладки стартера
tiras do acionador de partida
시동기 지구
始動機のストリップ
strisce del dispositivo d'avviamento
λουρίδες εκκινητών
Starterstreifen
bandes de démarreur
aanzet stroken
起始者小條

I hope that helps.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

PS. I will be on my way to Kansas City in a little while. My wife is going to join me!!! :D
I may be offline for a while.

[Moonshae]

I didn't want to start a new thread, so I'm asking my starter strip question here.

When it was time to add a second deep to the first ones on my hives (80% drawn frames), I opted to go with starter strips and attempt to work them down to natural cell over the next however many years it takes. I added the second deep, and subbed out three frames in the bottom box with starter strip frames and moved the two undrawn frames below and one honey frame up. I staggered the strip frames in the bottom box, and staggered the frames I moved up, as well. This was on 6/25, so more than a month ago.

I went into the hives today, and it seems like they're doing a great job drawing the strips I put in the bottom box, but they are removing the wax from the strips in the upper box. However, one of the strip frames between the "moved up" frames is being drawn beautifully. I'd say that on the majority of frames, they've removed 1/4" of wax from the bottoms of the strips.

There's plenty of honey and pollen in both hives, and the stronger hive has the bottom deep PACKED with bees. I don't know why they're hesitant to move up, unless it's because I gave then 30% more space in the bottom with the three strip frames.

The stronger hive has a shallow super on top that I had used to give them some space while I was obtaining the second deeps. These were mostly drawn frames, and they have about half of the shallow filled with honey and brood. 4 honey frames, 1 now capped brood frame. I had put a shallow on the other hive, as well, but the bees weren't even using it, so I removed it when I added the second deep.

I've also noticed a supercedure cell in the weaker hive in the bottom box. When I noticed it at the time of my last inspection, I saw eggs in the bottoms of the cells around it, so I knew there was still a laying queen in there, and I wasn't worried. But I'm guessing the bees are also sensing the weakness of their hive and are hoping for a stronger queen. I'm interested in seeing whether the local genetics soon to be introduced to this hive will have an effect next year.

I know it's only July, but I'm worried that these hives will not have enough stores to make it through the winter. Should I be worried about where I am at this point? I don't know anything about the flows in my area, but there has been a ton of white clover around, and I've seen my girls in that in the front yard for weeks now. I won't have an issue with feeding all winter if I have to, but I'd rather have them make it on their own.

On a different note, I'm going to stick in some sticky boards and see what my natural 3-day varroa fall is. Haven't seen any on any of my girls, but I haven't dug open any drone cells to check, either.

[Brian D. Bray]

I've found that the drawing of wierd comb using starter strips is on the second super.  The 1st box is like it should be but in the second the bees often start at the bottom of the frame and work up.  This can be curred by moving some of the already drawn frames up, alternating strips with foundation or placing the new super on the bottom. 

It seems to happen most often with the 2nd box.  Going to a 3rd box with bees above and below causes normal comb building w/o wierd configurations.

[Moonshae]

I will keep staggering more frames, then. I started with 3, but I'll swap it to every other next time.

[Michael Bush]

I would not use duracomb or durgilt as they have a smooth plastic center and I don't know what the bees will do with the edge.  A starter strip should be no wider than 3/4" before you put it in.  Otherwise it may not get attached well.