Beesource Beekeeping Forums banner

what do you think of...

6K views 23 replies 16 participants last post by  Ian 
#1 ·
#4 ·
I don't like the plastic frames myself. I'm in the deep south and we have the SHB's here in force. The little devils hide in the cracks and such from the bees. All the plastic frames we have are molded and have gaps in the frames that are perfect beetle habitats.
This is one reason I don't like them either. I have only used HSC fully drawn plastic ones and they have the same issue. I also found that they warp. I don't know if the ones you are referring to warp but many of my HSC have. That messes up the bee space.
 
#6 ·
I am also using the MannLake small cell frames. My bees do just fine drawing them out. Friend of mine used plastic frames back during the mid 80s and I was always jealous. They lasted longer, cost less than the wood frames with foundation, and if the moths or anything else screwed them up he just took an uncapping knife to them and started over. Much cheaper in the long run. Probably heathier, now beings all the wax foundation is contaminated with all the treatment chemicals. Colonies I bought had large cell wooden drawn out wax frames, and were loaded with hive beetles. I see one every now and then now but hardly ever.

Danny
 
#7 ·
Plastic Frames

I hate handling them and if you gave some to me I probably wouldn't use them. The bees are less willing to draw out.

That being said, probably the most successful beekeeper in this area uses plastics almost exclusively I think because of the cost of assembly with woodies.
 
#8 ·
thanks for your input...i'm new to beekeeping, and I recieved a nuc box with a mix of plastic and wooden frames. I added my own wooden...so far they both seem okay but i'm wondering what type is should buy one i need more :)
 
#9 ·
You're going to find mixed feelings amongst the beekeepers. I think plastic is starting to win over the majority, because of it taking less labor.

There have been a lot of threads on the debate. Do a search it will keep you busy for weeks.
 
#10 · (Edited by Moderator)
I saw recently in the news that plastic water bottles should not be reused, frozen, heated, or left in a hot car all day because of the off gassing of cancer causing Dioxins from the plastic. I have also saw warnings about using plastics ( once thought safe) in the microwave. I wonder if the manufacturers of plastic frames have tested their products for off gassing in the hives and how it is either absorbed or not by the honey and wax? If they have would they tell you anyway of the possible hazard? Only a hobbiest here but I think I'll stick to the old wood and wax foundation for my frames. It May be a bit more work but at least I am reasonably sure that the end product is safe to use.
 
#11 ·
I've used quite a few different ones. The ones I LIKE are the Mann Lake PF 100s and PF 120s. They are small cell and much better accepted than other ones I've used.

The other things I like are PermaComb (fully drawn plastic) and Honey Super Cell. But these are not as well accepted at first but used well after they are in use.
 
#13 ·
When I was looking at a new hive today I did pose this question to the gent that has hives for sell. He said he doesn't like the plastic frame with plastic foundations. The best thing he said was "but don't take my word for it, take the bees, then I will tell you more." As we went out to a couple of hives the all plastic frames were not completely drawn out, there were huge gaps in some where it looks like the bees just lost interest and moved on. The frames were 2 years old. The only reason he keeps them is to show people exactly that, the bees atleast around here just don't seem to like them. His opinion after that as to why he doesn't like them occured in another hive that had a semi full, but not completely drawn out all plastic frame. As you handled the frame, it was actually bowing. you could see it sag in the middle from the weight. He told me it actually gets worse in higher temps too. But when the frames are bowing like that, your breaking wax. If there is honey in there, its gonna leak, if there is brood in there, you might damage it during the pupa stage. I told him I had wooden frames with plastic inserts in my hive that I currently have and he ask "and how many frames are completely drawn out?" I had to answer with "zero", lots of corners are not done, but they were a lot fuller than the all plastic he had shown me. He pulled frame after frame out of wire and wax, all were completely drawn out.
Guess I just became a wire and wax keeper.

Just my 2 cents
 
#14 ·
Just bought the mats to make 10 wax and wire frames today. Finished building tonight and had fun with it.
Just to be fair, I bought another honey super and will be placing it on the hive in the near future. I will place the 10 wax frames on top of the plastic ones and will see what my bees like as far as the 2 different types. Maybe some bees don't care, maybe some do.
 
#17 ·
" all plastic frames were not completely drawn out, there were huge gaps in some where it looks like the bees just lost interest and moved on. The frames were 2 years old. The only reason he keeps them is to show people exactly that, the bees atleast around here just don't seem to like them. "

Not all plastic frames are created equal. Never had this problem with Mann Lake's frames...have had this problem with frames from HSC..not the fully drawen ones they make....those the bees just refuse to use.

Mann Lake's frames (pf 100's and pf 120's) are the best that I have tried so far..:)
 
#18 ·
IMHO, bees dislike them. It takes a really strong flow to get them drawn, and we just don't have those flows. They also make the box heavier. I don't know if these have the cells pressed in the plastic or just in the wax. If they are only in the wax, the bees will never touch that area again if the pattern is damaged.
 
#19 ·
200 frames of plaistic,1200 wood, and onther 200 of plastic foundation, and a few with wax foundation. Oh and around 100 HSC........ no issues a cpl of bare pathes from time to time. Rub honey or sugar water on them and off the go....

That was the deeps. supers are 85% plastic. no problems there to speak of.......not sure how many I have but a lot.......
 
#21 ·
Well, just wanted to put an update on this since I went and looked at my hive today. I have 2 hive deep hive bodies. The lower with 10 frames of plastic and wood, which contain all the usual suspects, honey, pollen and brood. I placed the second hive body with hopes that it would be my second brood chamber, but in the 4 weeks its been on there, the queen hasnt gone up there once from the looks of it. The edges of some of the outter frames are not filled out all the way. The upper appears to be just a super for honey for now. The have been socking away a lot of honey on the plastic frames, although some of the outter ones are half drawn out and have nectar in them then the other half still flat. I placed 2 wax and wire frames in the hive on friday and today BOTH of those frames are built and ready. I wonder if thye will put brood in them or just continue with nectar. Quick question on that note, IF the queen starts putting brood there, should I think about placing another super on top along with new frames and move a few frames of honey up to this box, and new frames in their place, so that hopefully this too will be a brood box? What about even though the honey frames to the outter are not completely full?
 
#22 ·
my bees work the plastic very well,
my hired help like the plastic frames
with pretty much every job that involves handling the frames, my help comments (sometimes they dont shut up) on how much they like the plastic over the wood
The plastic frames are easier to scrape and clean, to handle with in the boxes, they work better inthe extractor, and so on.
dont over look them just becasue they need a good flow to draw them out,
 
#23 ·
As far as wax vs. plastic goes, I'm guessing that any commercially purchased foundation contains a number of different pesticide/antibiotic/other residues that I don't think are particularly good for bees or people. So unless you're making your own foundation out of your own untreated wax, I don't think the risk of using plastic is any greater than using wax foundation. Either way, they'll be bringing residues in from outside that aren't very attractive either.

Comes a time when you choose your poison, and relax and enjoy life. :)
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top