[valleyman]

I've got a 5 sheets of duragilt left. I need to use it to put in nucs that I'm going to put my old Queens in when I requeen. I'm keeping the old queens until my new ones are accepted and laying. Some are not too strong but they would beat none. Do you'll think that they might draw out the duragilt using it like this. I'm piecing together what I have to build the nucs. The nucs will have the Queen, some brood, some nurse bees, some honey. I will use one frame of drawn out comb for her to lay in. The rest will be new foundation. There will only be one frame of duragilt per nuc. The other 2 will be new pierco wax coated foundation or rewaxed pierco. I really want to throw the duragilt away but it will keep me from buying more right now. I don't like the experience that I've had with the rest of the package that I originally bought. After about 10-14 days I will recombine the original frame in the hives that they came from. Then probably make some nucs from my stronger hives, maybe to over winter.

 

[Drew Martin]

It should be fine to use up. I to don't have high opinion on Durargilt. Maybe throw some 2:1 on it when you get it going, help them draw.

-drew

 

[valleyman]

I realize that I will have to feed them heavily. We do have dearth going on here right now. I may have to feed the hives that I requeen, for awhile, until the fall flow starts. I think I may try the dry sugar sprayed with water, on top of the frames as an experiment. Since is not that important that they make it. Should I move the plastic carboard nucs a couple of miles away? I really don't think so. because I don't care if the foragers return to the original hive.

 

[beedeetee]

In my experience, when you have a strong hive and a good flow you get great frames using Duragilt. A weak hive (nuc) and weak flow (feeding) you probably won't.

Some of my best looking frames are Duragilt. I put a couple of boxes on a couple of strong swarms a month ago and now have great drawn frames. The problem with Duragilt is that you can't put it on early and you can't put it on after a flow. The bees remove the wax coating.

Maybe if you make the nucs strong enough it will work, but I would think putting them on strong hives would give you a better chance.

 

[Drew Martin]

I make nucs up in the same yard sometimes. When i do i make them up in the late afternoon / "before sun down" and reduce the entrance and put moss/grass in the entrance and they will make an effort to re-orientate the new box and entrance the next day.

 

[valleyman]

Just checked the nuc, now a hive with one deep mostly filled with honey and brood. (the new Russian queen is going gangbusters) The top deep is the one that wound up with the duragilt in it. There are 5 frames of duragilt, 2 frames of rewaxed white pierco, 3 new pierco. They are really going after and building on the rewaxed, they are starting on all of the new pierco. The duragilt had one small spot of burr comb attaching it to the frame below. They are not touching the rest of the duragilt. I will be going to Walter T. Kelley Co. for some more pierco as soon as I can. I will also pick up a block of wax to warm up and rub on the new waxed pierco. They will draw the pierco but like it heavily waxed. So why not give them what they want? Next spring when I go thru my hives to check them any duragilt that doesn't have a lot of brood or stores on it will be replaced. You can identify it immediately from the mess that has been built on it. No more:no:

 

[Broke-T]

It amazes me that they still make and sell duragilt. It is awfull.

Johnny

 

[valleyman]

I know, I don't understand why anyone would use it. I wouldn't use it if they gave it to me. If that was all that was availible I would go foundationless.