[ronnyclif]

I am new to bees so any help would be great. I have wired bees wax foundation with hooks and wires running vertical. When I am assembling do I need to use support pins and/or wires running horizontaly. I will use an extractor for honey extraction.

 

[bjerm2]

Yes you should use horizontal wires, also alow for one to two cycles of brood to be raised in the comb. This will give the comb strenght. When you start the extractor with the new frames in it start it rotating slowly and increase the speed as the honey leaves the comb. Do not do it to fast since the first few times they will fly out of the frame.
Dan

 

[Michael Bush]

I've extracted many a shallow or medium frame with suprlus foundation (very thin) and no wires. The more wires the better it will stand up to the extrractor, but any comb will collapse if you crank the exractor up too much too fast. Always start slow and get half the honey out before you start to increase the speed.

It's your choice. You can use no wires, just vertical wires, vertical wires and split pins, horizontal and vertical wires. All of them have their problems. The biggest problem with foundation, which the wires help with, but don't totatly eliminate, is sagging foundation when the bees don't draw it out right away.

Bjerm2 is right about the cocoons strengthening the comb, and that works if you don't use chemcicals in the hive at all. You can't move brood comb to the supers if you use any of the chemicals.

 

[Oxankle]

Michael;

I tend to agree with you that it is not a desirable practice, but I have spoken directly the the makers of Apistan about this.

I am told that if the bees have completely cleaned out a brood comb (used up the honey, raised the bees) the comb is perfectly safe for use in a super.

I am not at all sure that I want to do this, especially with combs exposed to checkmite.
Ox