I love it, but they won't do much with it until they are out of other options - a strong hive on a good flow that needs the space can draw it out lickity split though. If you don't have all three of those factors in place you might as well save it until you do.
Mann lake Ritecell issues
Hello, i want to see if anyone has any suggestions that will help me using the Ritecell foundations i bought from Mann Lake. I bought the preassembled wooden frame with Ritecell installed. I broke all the little removable corners off and pretty much no matter what i do these bees just don't want anything to do with i have it. I have 1 hive that don't like it either but will build on it (just slow) but ive ran into 2 new hives lately that built completely new comb and just anchored it onto the Ritecell.
Now the good, when bees DO build out the foundation with the Ritecell, its awesome! Its just that im not having any luck as of recently. I mostly try to use it due to wax foundations don't last long here in Texas unless your putting it in a active hive of bees, if you put it in a bait-hive, it will just melt into a puddle of the hive same goes with driving to a location to get a swarm, its all melted. The Ritecell holds up well for this. And also just wanted to say Mann Lake has always taken care of me, just wish my bees liked the foundation better
Now the good, when bees DO build out the foundation with the Ritecell, its awesome! Its just that im not having any luck as of recently. I mostly try to use it due to wax foundations don't last long here in Texas unless your putting it in a active hive of bees, if you put it in a bait-hive, it will just melt into a puddle of the hive same goes with driving to a location to get a swarm, its all melted. The Ritecell holds up well for this. And also just wanted to say Mann Lake has always taken care of me, just wish my bees liked the foundation better
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yup no flow no comb. They will readily draw out wax coated plastic foundation at about the same likelihood as wax. Nothing beats foundationlessI love it, but they won't do much with it until they are out of other options - a strong hive on a good flow that needs the space can draw it out lickity split though. If you don't have all three of those factors in place you might as well save it until you do.
Paint extra wax on plastic foundation and bees will except it much better. I use cheap crock pot to melt wax and foam brush to paint extra wax on.
Tim
Tim
Haven't used it myself, but my mentor beek says they won't do much more than chew off the wax if you put it in before the flow is on. And if they have other options (foundationless, foundation) they will only use the ritecell last.
I usually use Pierco foundation but once I tried Ritecell and noticed right away that if they coat it with wax then it is one molecule thick coating. I didn't even try to install it before recoating it myself with wax. After that my bees built on it just fine. However just like other people mentioned you need to have a good flow for them to build comb.
yep, pierco foundation has a lot more wax and smaller cellsI usually use Pierco foundation but once I tried Ritecell and noticed right away that if they coat it with wax then it is one molecule thick coating. I didn't even try to install it before recoating it myself with wax. After that my bees built on it just fine. However just like other people mentioned you need to have a good flow for them to build comb.
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