Converting an all wax hive to an all plastic hive

[Chef Isaac]

Hello all!

I was wondering about something that might have a simple answer but I cant think of it.

If you go with the "rule" that bees will take to wax foundation before plastic foundation and therefor if you want to use plastic, you must go all plastic with no wax in the chambers than I was wondering....

How do you convert a colony on all wax to all plastic?

[odfrank]

you shouldn't

[roger eagles]

Build yore plastic in the honey supers then put them into the brood.I have trouble my self getting plastic built up in the brood chamber,but no problem in the honey supers.I was told if building in brood chambers to use black,they will axcept that more easily.

[Terry Gr]

Reason I like black plastic in the brood chamber is because it is easier to inspect the egg and larvae. There is a better color contrast.

I don't think the bees can tell the difference between white and black plastic. I prefer black plastic over white, just for inspection purposes

I also agree that it is best to start the plastic in the honey super then move it down into the brood chamber after it is built out. They do a perfect job of building out the plastic foundation on a heavy honeyflow than in the brood chamber where the buildout is slow. The bees tend not to build out the foundation completly if it is started in the brood chamber.

[Terry Gr]

I wonder why my post got buggered?
this is how it is supposed to read.

I also agree that it is best to start the plastic in the honey super then move it down into the brood chamber after it is built out. They do a perfect job of building out the plastic foundation on a heavy honeyflow than in the brood chamber where the buildout is slow. The bees tend not to build out the foundation completly if it is started in the brood chamber.

I don't think the bees can tell the difference between white and black plastic. I prefer black plastic over white, just for inspection purposes

Reason I like black plastic in the brood chamber is because it is easier to inspect the egg and larvae. There is a better color contrast.

[Rooster4473]

I have all the choices mixed throughout all my hives, wax, white plastic, and black plastic. Not in any kind of order or anything, just whatever I had in my hand got put into the hive in the brood and in the supers and my bees didnt seem to care either way what they were building on, they just kinda started in the middle and built out, and then up.

Any yes, the black plastic is the nicest for inspection [img]smile.gif[/img]

[WG Bee Farm]

I mix the wood frames w/wax foundation, wood frames w/plastic foundation, and plastic frames. I like to use the black but I use what is avaiable
The main concern is to make sure that there is going to be enough honey flow to draw the frames out completely and make sure that the frames are packed together so there is no additional bee space for them to fill. (10 frames in a standard 10 frame hive)

[Michael Bush]

I have a mixture of many things also. The main secret is don't put bare plastic (not drawn) with bare wax (not drawn). It's like trying to get your kid to eat broccoli with a piece of cherry pie next to his plate. ODFrank will tell you, the bees would much rather work the wax. They would. But they will work the plastic when there is no wax to work. What's already drawn and in use is irelevant.

WG Bee is right about spacing. If you leave too much space between plastic foundation the bees will build their own combs between the plastic foundation. So crowd all the frames to the middle tightly.

What the BEES do when given the choice (in other words the space to do it) is to build their own comb with no foundation.

[Ross]

What the BEES do when given the choice (in other words the space to do it) is to build their own comb with no foundation.

And that's why I let them.... [img]smile.gif[/img]

[justgojumpit]

me too! I just finished inserting wood starter strips in 400 frames last weekend!

justgojumpit

[Bryan314]

I'm just about to begin my beekeeping journey, I'm trying to decide between:
1)all plastic (probably the plastic frame and foundation in one)
2)all plastic foundation in wood frames
3)all wax foundation in wood frames, then switch to plastic in honey supers
4)some combination of plastic or wax to fill half the first brood box, then frames with starter strips installed (foundationless I guess?)
and
5)all foundationless

Number 5 seems very attractive but a bit chancy in getting the bees to set up housekeeping the way I want them to (nice neat easily removable frames to inspect and later to extract). If I went with option 5, would I still want to try to talk them into using plastic for harvestable honey?

I am after liquid honey for mead making and cooking (and eating....this stuff's addictive).

Thanks

Bryan