wax is expensive!

[madscientist]

I've gone back to feeding to build up comb for next year, which will be my 2nd.  My five hives can easily go through 50 lbs of sugar a week used in a 1:1 syrup.  At walmart's 25lb bag price, that's 80 bucks a month that I'll be spending on sugar.  Hopefully I'm doing something wrong and it shouldn't be this expensive.  Please tell me what it is...

[SgtMaj]

You just want them to build comb, right?

If so, try cutting back to light syrup (1:2), which may trick them into thinking a flow is about to start, which should trigger them to build more comb, at least according to master beekeeper George Emirie... That should also save you about $40 a month since you get twice as much syrup from the same amount of sugar.

[Kathyp]

also, it's not a think you have to do year after year unless you expand.  you'll have the drawn comb and can replace a bit at a time.

[SgtMaj]

Unless trying to harvest and sell the wax... but in similar words to those of George Imirie... drawn comb is a beek's most precious resource.

[Ross]

As it gets later in the year, the bees like drawing wax less and less.  Even with a fall flow it's hard to get them to draw wax.  They seem to want to pack down.  They will use drawn comb and fill it, but not draw much new. 

[Robo]

that's 80 bucks a month that I'll be spending on sugar.  Hopefully I'm doing something wrong and it shouldn't be this expensive.  Please tell me what it is...

I guess that makes HSC look like a bargain.

[madscientist]

I guess I should know what HSC stands for but I don't.  What is it?

[Robo]

Honey Super Cell.  Fully drawn 4.9 frames.

www.honeysupercell.com

[SgtMaj]

It looks expensive at first, but it's only like $6 per frame...

ok, it still looks expensive, when was it supposed to look cheap again?

[Robo]

When you look at the big picture.

Last almost indefinitely
   - how many years do you plan to get out of wax before replacing?  3,5,? 

no $$ treating for wax moth
no $$ feeding sugar to build comb
instant regression, no wasting comb

[SgtMaj]

That just makes the normal method look expensive too... It still doesn't make any of them look cheap...  ;)