Anyone use these?
I bought some thinking they would save some time putting things together.
Well, I don't like them. Seems my bees stick them to the frames above, and when you try to take a super off to inspect, there is always a frame that sticks to the ones below, and I have to twist the super so I won't pull it out and drop it on the lower super.
[This message has been edited by Charliebuck (edited July 05, 2003).]
I have a few and have never used them. I just wanted to measure the cell size. I use the permacomb and the bees do the same thing. Since it's fully drawn and since my wax coating saves me a lot of trouble regressing I live with it. Actualy I'm not so sure I don't get some of the benefit that some claim for Dadant deeps. They built it so it's like one big comb and the queen crawls around on it like it's one big comb. The downside is I kill some brood everytime I break the brood nest apart. I don't really care in the supers.
I think part of it is the Pierco frames are sprayed with beeswax. If you painted the top and bottom with FMGO they might not attach them so much. Or you could use the FGMO to just wipe off the beeswax on the top and bottom.
[This message has been edited by Michael Bush (edited July 06, 2003).]
I was told a strip of masking tape on the top bar helps too.
Do you have adequate bee space between the frames? Our boxes are not all the same so bee space varies. Where it's too small, our bees stick the wooden ones just as hard. My only worry with the plastic frames is how am I going to replace an ear when it breaks off.
I have been experimenting with the Pierco
all this spring and summer and have had
excellent sucess with them.I must admit I
have had 1to1 sugar syrup on them this
whole summer to draw out comb.I practice UBM
on these hives and have two deep supers
already drawn out and feel sure that all
three will be done by fall.As for breakage
of frames maybe because down here it is so
hot that they are very pliable and I don't
anticipate a problem of cracked lips.
I too have been using them exclusively in starting my two colonies. I sprayed them w/ sugar water when I first started them and they were quick to draw the initial brood but were a little slower in finishing out the outside frames. I am soon to add a second deep for them and hived the packages 6/2/03. There is a little propilizing between frames and some wax on the top bars trying to stick down the screen attic I have been using. I have been feeding them steadily w/ 1:1 syrup too. I was using frame feeders and they were building comb in them heavily so I switched to miller feeders this weekend. The frames came waxed though the coating wax inconsistent - almost like it got too hot in transit somewhere. They were slower drawing in areas where whe wax wax light / gone. Overall I like them and think I will stick w/ them... I'm going to use permacomb in the honey supers...
Ive broken the ends of the top bar off a fair number when shaking bees. Havent found a way to repair them.
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