[beecuz]

I haven't had a real harvest yet, but I recently sneaked into my honey supers for the first time and took two frames that were capped honey. I left the rest of the supers intact...just wanted to taste my first crop. I don't have an extractor, but for two frames I just scraped them clean - honey, wax and all! I crushed and strained it and bottled 4 jars of very nice honey. I know. I know. I am told that I should have just cut the caps and left the wax so the bees don't have to make it again. My frames have plastic foundation. If I melt the wax I already removed and then bathe the plastic in the wax before replacing the frame in the super, will that be beneficial to the bees or just slow them down?

 

[SwedeBee1970]

A light wax coating should do the trick. Enough to leave the hex pattern intact.

 

[peacekeeperapiaries]

just brush on a light coat, they will like it just fine.

 

[beecuz]

A light wax coating should do the trick. Enough to leave the hex pattern intact.

Great! I was starting to feel guilty! Thanks!

 

[beecuz]

just brush on a light coat, they will like it just fine.

Peacekeeper - When you say brush, what kind of brush do you use? I was thinking of melting the wax in a pan and laying the foundation in it...but brushing sounds easier and less wasteful. Have you done this before?

BeeCuz

 

[Brent]

We use a 4" paint roller to roll melted wax onto the plastic foundation. Works great.

Brent

 

[peacekeeperapiaries]

there ya go, paint brush, roller, whatever sounds easiest.

 

[BeeCurious]

I've dipped warmed Honey Super Cell through a layer of wax floating on top of a large pot of water.

 

[BEES4U]

I have diped Pierco snap in foundation into melted wax and it does not really help or increse the bees acceptance. And, if you get the foundation cell base filled it allows the bees to make natural comb whci is not what you want.

You can also rub a ball of warm wax across the foundation.
And if you put the frames back into the super as is between two frames of honey the bees will draw it out,
Ernie

 

[Countryboy]

If all you did was scrape the honey and wax off the frame, there should be enough wax left on the frame for the bees to rebuild the comb. Just stick the frame back in and the bees will get it drawn out again.

It seems that getting plastic frames drawn out the first time is the hardest. Once they have drawn comb previously, they will rebuild damaged combs with little or no hesitation.

 

[chrissv]

It seems that getting plastic frames drawn out the first time is the hardest.

Boy, ain't that the truth!! That is my situation - I am a 2nd year beekeeper, and all I have is undrawn plastic honey super foundation. They have hardly touched it. I am told it is because they need a good nectar flow to make the wax.

It's a catch 22 in a way - I could feed 1:1 sugar syrup to get them to make wax, but then they'll just store the sugar in the super. Too bad there's not a secret ingredient you can add to the sugar which says "just use this sugar to make wax, but don't store any of it..."

 

[Countryboy]

Too bad there's not a secret ingredient you can add to the sugar which says "just use this sugar to make wax, but don't store any of it..."

Actually, there is. It's called a beekeeper that knows what is going on in the hive. Bees draw wax before they start storing the syrup.

You can also put a plastic frame between two frames of brood. The bees will draw it out. (and the queen will lay in it.) Then move that frame up into the honey super. The bees will hatch out and you have a drawn comb ready for honey storage.

And if by chance the bees do start storing some syrup in your honey super frames, put that frame between 2 frames of brood and the bees will use that syrup to feed the baby bees.

The main thing is a beekeeper who monitors their bees. You have to know what they are doing, and how to work with them. You can't just hope the bees will do what you want them to do.

 

[EastSideBuzz]

It's a catch 22 in a way - I could feed 1:1 sugar syrup to get them to make wax, but then they'll just store the sugar in the super. Too bad there's not a secret ingredient you can add to the sugar which says "just use this sugar to make wax, but don't store any of it..."

What you can do is feed and let them draw comb. When it is done and drawn out pull it out put an empty between your brood box and the super and you could flip it over and they will clean it out for you. Then use it for honey.

 

[Brent]

Too bad there's not a secret ingredient you can add to the sugar which says "just use this sugar to make wax, but don't store any of it..."

Actually, there is. It's called a beekeeper that knows what is going on in the hive. Bees draw wax before they start storing the syrup.

You can also put a plastic frame between two frames of brood. The bees will draw it out. (and the queen will lay in it.) Then move that frame up into the honey super. The bees will hatch out and you have a drawn comb ready for honey storage.

And if by chance the bees do start storing some syrup in your honey super frames, put that frame between 2 frames of brood and the bees will use that syrup to feed the baby bees.

The main thing is a beekeeper who monitors their bees. You have to know what they are doing, and how to work with them. You can't just hope the bees will do what you want them to do.

I couldn't agree more. I'm in the same situation. I'm feeding right now and the bees are consuming over a quart a day of 1:1 syrup. But I'm drawing comb right now. I was concerned that the girls were storing this syrup, but Monday I went out and sampled what they stored and it tasted like light honey.

Brent