I don't like plastic frames!

[topdog17]

I purchased my first beehive from a beek last fall that consisted of a deep and a medium for the brood boxes and Italian bees. It overwintered and things now seem questionable at least from my inexperienced view. From what I've noticed in my inspections the queen seems to be spotty and there is chalkbrood in my hive also. I am pretty sure the colony requeened itself because the bees are more temperamental than they were in the fall. They just seem unhappy sometimes! I will be getting a 3# pkg of bees from R. Weaver in a couple of weeks to start another hive and I also ordered a new queen for this hive because I did not know how old she was and if her laying would be good. A better queen will also help with the chalkbrood right? My question is can I change the plastic frames that are in the medium super where the queen has been laying to wooden frames with only foundation? If so how do I go about it? I do not have any access to built comb as I am just beginning. I don't like the plastic frames because the bees don't seem to repair the comb on them and some are warped or bent and hard to get out. Thanks for any replies and to this website! It is as good as having a good beek with me at the hive!

[Joseph Clemens]

Welcome to the forum.

You need lots of young bees and a strong honeyflow or lots of sugar syrup, in order for bees to build or repair comb. Unless you have lots of emerging brood and are feeding or experiencing a honeyflow, giving the bees frames of foundation will not result in new comb at this time.

I would advise you to wait until the hive is "booming" with bees and activity, in the midst of a honeyflow. Then move frames of sealed brood to the outside positions, replacing them with your frames of foundation. The brood will emerge from the sealed frames you moved to the outside, then the bees will usually fill them with nectar and pollen - they can then be removed and other frames of sealed brood put in their place to continue this process until all frames you wish to replace, have been. The frames of foundation will be built into nice combs and the queen will likely fill them with brood.

[bigbore]

as for the chalk brood, I think it is usually caused by moisture in the hive. you might consider repositioning the hive to a location with a better air flow to prevent excess moisture in and around the hive.

[Michael Bush]

The best time to pull any frames is when they are empty. :)

[topdog17]

Okay, if I got this straight I can change the empty frames now, wait till the honey flow and swap the frames with brood in the middle with the outside frames that are empty. Sound like a plan to me. As far as moving the hive, I’m not sure. Have you ever seen a 6’3” 350 lb man scream and run for his life? That’s what you would see if I dropped the hive. I don’t have the equipment or the confidence, YET. Thanks for the advice and look forward to getting more from you experienced beeks. Books and this forum are my only training and I have a ton to learn!! You are right BIGBORE, it is an addiction!:D

[Joseph Clemens]

What MB said is correct, however, it takes lots of bees and nectar to turn foundation/empty frames into usable honeycomb. It takes usable honeycomb to grow bees. If you have comb, even if they are in plastic frames, or plastic foundation, they are a very valuable resource to use to increase the colonies population, which cannot be done with foundation, unless you already have a large population of young worker bees.

Sorta like a "catch 22" situation. Better to leave whatever comb you have for the bees to use, before you remove it when there is little chance that the bees can replace it. Empty frames, are not the same as empty combs.

[topdog17]

Your right, so now my question is, should I leave the plastic frames there and let the bees repair the comb or should I replace it now and take the honey loss from the new comb building. Honey is not of big importance to me at this stage. I just want to learn how to make these ladies thrive, be healthy, and pollinate my garden and fruit trees.

[magnet-man]

I don’t like plastic frames!

I would not, could not, in a box.
I could not, would not, with a fox.
I will not use them with a mouse.
I will not use them in a house.
I will not use them here or there.
I will not use them anywhere.
I do not use plastic frames.
I do not like them, Sam-I-am. :D

[Joseph Clemens]

For me, that decision depends mostly on how many young bees are in the hive right now, and how much sealed worker brood is maturing and will emerge soon. It is only young bees that make wax, build and repair comb. Your hive needs all the usable comb to grow worker bees to build more comb to grow even more worker bees, store pollen and honey, etc.

Imagine the snowball rolling downhill, gradually growing larger, then growing larger faster and faster, the larger it gets the faster it gets even larger. The early Spring beehive is kinda like that, but if they have limited resources, especially usable comb, nectar, pollen, and nurse bees to tend brood, that process is going to be hindered.

A hive's population of young worker bees, and queen fecundity are the two most unforgiving factors. Most all other factors can be adjusted by beekeeper input. Sugar syrup and pollen substitute can be provided, with enough young workers and sugar syrup comb can be built. If the outside temp is too low, only enough workers and nectar/sugar syrup can overcome this too.

[topdog17]

I don't have an eye for "young bees" yet, so I can't tell. Are they the bees on the frames when I do an inspection? I guess the only way for me to know when a nectar flow is on is by inspecting the frames? Anyone from southeast texas out there know when the nectar flow starts around here?:s

[Joseph Clemens]

Young bees are usually fuzzier than older bees, sorta like young baby chickens. Once you've seen enough of them you'll get an eye for them. It takes a great many of them and lots of nectar/sugar syrup for them to repair/build comb, tend brood, etc. Older bees can still do these things, but usually do not, unless there aren't enough young bees to do them. When the older bees perform these duties out of necessity, they still perform very poorly compared to the younger bees. It's all about the younger generation, and the more of them involved, the quicker and easier the workings of the hive.

[Troy]

You know it is funny. I don't like them either, but oft times I've seen hives where I've put in drawn plastic frames and new wax foundation frames and the bees use the plastic first. Presumably drawn comb is better no matter whether it is plastic or not.

I am phasing all the plastic out, just because of hive beetle problems. The plastic frames have a groove around the edge where the beetles hide.

[topdog17]

Thanks for the help JC!! I honestly feel like I have a queen that is not that productive or hygenic. My hive is probably not as strong as I need it to be but I just don't relise it yet. With help from beeks like you and time, I will figure it out. I think for now I will just wait on my new queen, a nectar flow, and see if conditions in the hive change after a month or so. I really appreciate your help and will be looking forward to hearing from you again.