Cleaning Peico Plastic Frames

CapeCod · January 21, 2008, 10:30:35 AM

Got a starter kit but the plastic frames were used,,,what is the best way to prep these for a new package?.
Also if my queen is not marked in the package what is used to mark her.?

bassman1977 · January 21, 2008, 12:02:50 PM

QuoteGot a starter kit but the plastic frames were used,,,what is the best way to prep these for a new package?.

I'd be suspect of used equipment that you don't know the history of (could spread disease). If these are the one piece frames I am thinking of, you can just scrap the comb off. There should be enough wax left that you won't have to apply new wax to it. If you do need to reapply, melt down some bees wax and roll it on with a small paint roller.

QuoteAlso if my queen is not marked in the package what is used to mark her.?

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Bennettoid · January 21, 2008, 12:42:12 PM

Quote from: CapeCod on January 21, 2008, 10:30:35 AM
Also if my queen is not marked in the package what is used to mark her.?

Did you order a Queen?

Dick Allen · January 21, 2008, 12:54:59 PM

Most hobbyist beekeepers order their queens already marked, but some don't, or the supplier's screw up and forget to mark them. Typewriter correction fluid has worked just fine for me when I've wanted to mark those unmarked queens. It likely won't be the same color as the 5 color international system, but with just one or two hives, does it really matter?

CapeCod · January 21, 2008, 03:34:13 PM

My Italians and Queen are coming form Rossmans,,,being delivered to a apairy here in Mass then I pick them up.

xC0000005 · January 21, 2008, 05:43:31 PM

As others have noted, I'd be reluctant to accept used frames if I didn't know and trust the source. That said, I've used a pressure washer to rip the comb off frames. Also, if it's cold enough the wax becomes quite brittle. I've had discarded frames "shed" their comb in large chunks.

buzzbee · January 21, 2008, 07:11:46 PM

Here is a link to Robos sight with a good explanation on queen marking.
http://robo.bushkillfarms.com/2007/09/04/queen-marking/

CapeCod · January 21, 2008, 07:35:02 PM

Thanks BuzzBee great site

Sean Kelly · January 22, 2008, 03:09:06 PM

Plastic frames suck. I quit using plastic frames after discovering wired wax. The bees take to it much faster. My hives have been in full swing now for almost a year and the one hive body with plastic frames still isn't completely drawn out yet. Throw them away and buy wax foundation.
Did you mean the kit included plastic foundation or that the plastic foundation had been used in another hive before?

Sean Kelly

bassman1977 · January 22, 2008, 03:17:53 PM

I would tend to agree with the speed of them drawing it out but found that using Pierco was a good stepping stone to regress the bees and get them to small cell wired foundation.

Kimbrell · January 22, 2008, 05:14:58 PM

I don't know about reapplying wax to plastic frames with a paint roller. I tried that my first year of beekeeping. Palstic frames came with my starter kit. They were coated very unevenly with wax and the bees were not impressed! I melted some wax and used a paint roller. What a mess! Semi dried wax everywhere! The paint roller became useless almost immediately. I swapped over to wax foundation and am very happy with it.

Moonshae · January 22, 2008, 08:54:45 PM

I started my hives with plastic frames and foundation, I didn't have any problems getting them to draw comb. But I did switch to starter strips for the second deep on them. :P

xC0000005 · January 23, 2008, 04:49:09 PM

Quote from: Kimbrell on January 22, 2008, 05:14:58 PM
I don't know about reapplying wax to plastic frames with a paint roller. I tried that my first year of beekeeping. Palstic frames came with my starter kit. They were coated very unevenly with wax and the bees were not impressed! I melted some wax and used a paint roller. What a mess! Semi dried wax everywhere! The paint roller became useless almost immediately. I swapped over to wax foundation and am very happy with it.

This is a lot easier if you do a few things:.
1. Use one of those tiny half width rollers.
2. Have a crock pot that you melt the wax in. The roller goes back in the crock pot after each pass.
3. Use a Roller ramp (like in paint trays) to remove the excess wax. Having a really flat roller head doesn't hurt things either.

No problem rolling wax on. I use starter strips now for my brood chambers and plastic for the supers. That fresh wax smell seems to help attract them to the new frames.

bassman1977 · January 23, 2008, 06:52:19 PM

Small rollers is how I've heard it done. I got my Bee Culture for this month and they actually have an article in there regarding this very subject. If you can get your paws on it, the article is "Waxing Frames" by Roy Hendrickson. He uses a 4 inch foam paint brush.