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Hello--does anyone know where i can buy some medium small cell foundation? I can not find it. Thank you
small cell
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Power Napper
If you mean SC foundation for medium frames, I didn't find it. I bought the SC for deep frames and cut it down. I think some people cut it in half and let the bees fill in the bottem part with what ever size they want.
I'm just using starter strips.
Pugs
If you mean SC foundation for medium frames, I didn't find it. I bought the SC for deep frames and cut it down. I think some people cut it in half and let the bees fill in the bottem part with what ever size they want.
I'm just using starter strips.
Pugs
I guess I assumed he meant medium (as in thickness of the wax) foundation. Brood foundation is often called "medium brood" in whatever dimensions. But if you mean medium as in 5 5/8" or 5 1/2" wide foundation for 6 1/4" frames in 6 5/8" boxes, then, no one has it that I know of.
When I use foundation in my medium boxes, I cut the deep small cell in half and leave a gap.
http://incolor.inetnebr.com/bush/images/Foundation49.jpg
When I use foundation in my medium boxes, I cut the deep small cell in half and leave a gap.
http://incolor.inetnebr.com/bush/images/Foundation49.jpg
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Thank you for the help everyone, I shall try it and see how it works.
The only complicated thing is grasping that it takes two steps to get the bees back to normal size. IMO they are afraid of people buying the foundation, not doing a second step of regression, not monitoring the mites, and complaining when their bees die from mites.
I don't see any drawbacks. Even partially regressed bees have less mites. But it takes 4.9mm or smaller to get the mite population stablized.
I don't see any drawbacks. Even partially regressed bees have less mites. But it takes 4.9mm or smaller to get the mite population stablized.
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Michael -
In your post above the foundation is wired in.
Do recommend this if you cut the full size sheets in half?
Just wondering because I was hoping not to wire my mediums. Should I be planning to wire the foundation?
In your post above the foundation is wired in.
Do recommend this if you cut the full size sheets in half?
Just wondering because I was hoping not to wire my mediums. Should I be planning to wire the foundation?
The main reason I wire at all is to hold the foundation in place until the bees draw it. With nothing on the bottom to hold it in, I guess I feel better with some wire in it. Personally, if I wasn't going to wire, I'd just put in starter strips.
>On another post you said that a package could be put right on small cell. Now medium cell is involved?
No. Small is refering to cell size. Medium is refering to the thickness of the wax. Deep is refering to the dimensions of the frame that it goes in. I buy medium brood, small cell, deep sized foundation and cut it in half.
When you buy foundation, besides many different dimensions, it comes in the following thicknesses:
Heavy Brood (haven't seen any of this lately)
Medium Brood (for use in a brood chamber)
Surplus (thin for cut comb)
Thin Surplus (thinnest - usually for cassette comb honey)
This is not related to cell size nor the dimensions of the frame it goes in.
No. Small is refering to cell size. Medium is refering to the thickness of the wax. Deep is refering to the dimensions of the frame that it goes in. I buy medium brood, small cell, deep sized foundation and cut it in half.
When you buy foundation, besides many different dimensions, it comes in the following thicknesses:
Heavy Brood (haven't seen any of this lately)
Medium Brood (for use in a brood chamber)
Surplus (thin for cut comb)
Thin Surplus (thinnest - usually for cassette comb honey)
This is not related to cell size nor the dimensions of the frame it goes in.
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307 Posts
Michael,
How about taking a crack at my question and also to the following one. I see you cut the small sized foundation in half. Any reason for this? Why couldn't you cut it into four pieces. I thought when you meant "starter strips" it was just a small strip. Thanks.
How about taking a crack at my question and also to the following one. I see you cut the small sized foundation in half. Any reason for this? Why couldn't you cut it into four pieces. I thought when you meant "starter strips" it was just a small strip. Thanks.
You are correct. A starter strip would be 3/4" wide or so. Certainly not more than an inch. I cut it in half when I want a "full" sheet, but I don't want to waste it by cutting 5 1/2" off of an 8 1/2" sheet and wasting the 3" left over and they need somewhere to draw some drone.
I mostly use neither. I use a beveled top bar and no foundation at all most of the time. I use wax coated PermaComb a lot. And some blank starter strips cut from unembossed sheets of wax that I make from dipping a wet board in beeswax.
>I see that Dadant sells theses pins that hold the sides of the foundation in place by placing them through the side holes. I was thinking on using one on each side at the top to hold my starter strips. Do you think this will work?
They are unecessary on starter strips. You can use them if you want to use half of the deeps sheets in a medium and they will add a bit of help, but I would wire it if You want to use the half sheets. Hair pins are cheaper and work almost as well.
I mostly use neither. I use a beveled top bar and no foundation at all most of the time. I use wax coated PermaComb a lot. And some blank starter strips cut from unembossed sheets of wax that I make from dipping a wet board in beeswax.
>I see that Dadant sells theses pins that hold the sides of the foundation in place by placing them through the side holes. I was thinking on using one on each side at the top to hold my starter strips. Do you think this will work?
They are unecessary on starter strips. You can use them if you want to use half of the deeps sheets in a medium and they will add a bit of help, but I would wire it if You want to use the half sheets. Hair pins are cheaper and work almost as well.
There is also a plastic base small cell foundation available in deep super size. I prefer it because even with wires, all-wax foundation can quickly become a molten mess unless I can keep the bees attention on it, and I certainly cannot count on that happening.
Dadant is the only company selling the small cell plastic. I have not had any luck with it on unregressed bees. I have heard reports from others that have not had luck with it on unregressed bees either. For me it has worked about the same as any other plastic on regressed bees.
Since regular foundation is worker size, bees must rework it to obtain drone cells, right?
Will these drone cells be the same as in small cell drone cells?
Are drone cell combs OK if set aside for nectar storing?
According to bee biology and behaviour, a colony would be more prone to build worker size comb at the beginning of the nectar flow, when population increase needs extra room, right? IF a colony were fed syrup continously and excluded from field foraging, what do you think they will interpret as Spring ? Is temperature and day length for them a clue? What kind of comb is built under artificial feeding conditions?
Will these drone cells be the same as in small cell drone cells?
Are drone cell combs OK if set aside for nectar storing?
According to bee biology and behaviour, a colony would be more prone to build worker size comb at the beginning of the nectar flow, when population increase needs extra room, right? IF a colony were fed syrup continously and excluded from field foraging, what do you think they will interpret as Spring ? Is temperature and day length for them a clue? What kind of comb is built under artificial feeding conditions?
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