starter strips over foundation in brood chambers

[twb]

I made starter strips for crush and strain and then bought a used extractor.  So, can I use the starter strips in the brood chambers over the drawn plasticell (not small cell)?  If I do won't the bees make a bunch of drone comb?  And would I place two frames of foundation in each box of starter strips to encourage them to draw straight comb?

[Understudy]

You can use starter strips for either brood or honey. The bees will make the cell sizes they need to make. If they have already regressed they will build small cell. If not they will fill the cells with cocoon layers until it has gotten to around 4.7mm or 4.622mm. It may take a while but it will happen.

Just keep an eye out on occasion bees look at the starter strips and say hmm lets build perpendicular to that.

So you may have to play construction foreman.

If you are only placing two frames place to built frames around each starter strip.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

[Michael Bush]

The bees want about 15% or so drone comb.  They will build drone comb until they get that, then they will stop making drone comb.  They will raise the same number of drones no matter what you do.  They will fight to get 15% drone comb until they get it no matter what you do.

[twb]

If you are only placing two frames place to built frames around each starter strip

Maybe I need to clarify.  I plan to (if this sounds right) place two frames of foundation in each 10 frame medium brood box.  Probably at the 3 and 7 positions.  Could this be that to which your quote refers?

[twb]

They will raise the same number of drones no matter what you do.  They will fight to get 15% drone comb until they get it no matter what you do.

So, if I wanted to drone trap for varroa control I would have to wait until all starter strips were drawn out and then replace one frame near the brood nest with an empty frame (with or without starter strip) and they would fill it with drone cells unless they already had their 15 percent quota met.  But if I used drone foundation they would fill it with drones?  Or would even that be based on whether they had their quota of drones already?  Thanks for your patience.

[Brian D. Bray]

They will raise the same number of drones no matter what you do.  They will fight to get 15% drone comb until they get it no matter what you do.

So, if I wanted to drone trap for varroa control I would have to wait until all starter strips were drawn out and then replace one frame near the brood nest with an empty frame (with or without starter strip) and they would fill it with drone cells unless they already had their 15 percent quota met.  But if I used drone foundation they would fill it with drones?  Or would even that be based on whether they had their quota of drones already?  Thanks for your patience.

'

You'll find 3 sizes of comb in every hive, worker brood, drone, and storage.  Storage comb can run from smaller than worker brood cells to larger than drone cells.  The bees build what they need, where they need it.  If you find excess drone comb, or what you think is excess drone comb, just move it to the sides of the super and the bees will utilize it as storage comb.  They do that away late in the fall as they start killing off the drones. 
If you want worker comb place your frame in the direct center of the super--the the brood area that frame is almost always completely worker cell sized with some storage comb across the top 10 % of the comb.  If you want to expand the worker cell comb just move the out frames in a box out and move the center away towards the sides one frame at a time.  Once you have 8 frames of worker comb stop as the 2 outer frames, 1 & 10, are always storage.

[Michael Bush]

All you HAVE to do if you want to drone trap, which I've never really done, is cut out drone comb wherever you find it and let them rebuild it.