Has anyone else had the issue of the wax comb not bonding very well to plastic foundation? I invested lots of money over the last couple years into wax coated Rite Cell plastic foundation for use in my medium frames for honey supers. Well, I just uncapped about 60 frames of honey leftover from last fall, and virtually every frame gave me problems with the comb literally pulling off the plastic foundation in large sections while using my uncapping fork. It was like the wax comb was just laying on the plastic and never was attached. When the comb peeled off, the foundation looked like it was brand new and just came out of the box, with no residual wax left bonded to it. I don't recall ever hearing anyone else complain about the same problem, but maybe I missed it.
wax not bonding to plastic foundation
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Did you freeze the plastic frames? The contraction will cause that type of delamination.
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jmgi...It's not much, but I will contribute the little experience I had with plastic frames. I decided to try a box of 10 when I saw them very reasonable on Amazon. I used one here, one there in a few of my hives as an experiment. First it took for absolute ever for them to start drawing on it, and when they finally did, they didn't go all the way to the edges. I lost a colony, and allowed the bees to rob out what was left. The plastic frame, which still showed where they had drawn it out, came out of the hive with sheets of their wax hanging off....reminded me of peeling wall paper. My hive obviously never froze down here. Now those frames knock around in the back of my truck if needed for an emergency swarm call. I hope somebody has real answers for you, and hopefully this is just a fluke... Good luck!
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I started beekeeping before plastic was available. I have adopted several types of plastic frames and foundation over the years, especially a lot of Ritecell this year. In my slow long flow area it is so hard to get drawn out that I have never left wax behind. I feel sorry for the newbees with Ritecell I have been helping, they have to feed for months to get drawn comb. Then they have boxes full of sugar.
Hey odfrank
I'm 7 weeks into my first season and have 2 new packaged hives. I live across the bay from you in the San Ramon valley. My deeps came with waxed ritecell and 2 weeks ago I added my second deep to both hives. I have been feeding them and since adding the second deeps they are going through a quart in less than 2 days. I checked the hives today and they have drawn comb in 5 of the 10 top box frames. They have brood in some of them. Should I continue to feed them to help them draw out the frames? I would like to add a super and see if I can get some honey by fall. Any advice?
Thanks
Rob
I'm 7 weeks into my first season and have 2 new packaged hives. I live across the bay from you in the San Ramon valley. My deeps came with waxed ritecell and 2 weeks ago I added my second deep to both hives. I have been feeding them and since adding the second deeps they are going through a quart in less than 2 days. I checked the hives today and they have drawn comb in 5 of the 10 top box frames. They have brood in some of them. Should I continue to feed them to help them draw out the frames? I would like to add a super and see if I can get some honey by fall. Any advice?
Thanks
Rob
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Feed!!!!!!!!!!!!
Honey in a drought year like this? Must be nice to be in Dreamland off of 680 I'd suppose!!!! How many 215 cards do you own?
Gonna be lot of dead outs come next spring if people hold back feed now....
Yes, that's what I'm doing too. The plastic seems fine for the broodnest, but wired wax is what I am buying for all future honey supers.
Yes, brand new wax can pull loose a little. But, once you get them through the first extraction they will be fine after that.
Bee's in Miami you will have better luck with plastic foundation if you use a full box at a time. The bees will draw it out just fine on a honey flow. But, given the choice between a frame of wax foundation and plastic they will almost always draw out the wax first. So if you want to use plastic don't give them a choice.
Bee's in Miami you will have better luck with plastic foundation if you use a full box at a time. The bees will draw it out just fine on a honey flow. But, given the choice between a frame of wax foundation and plastic they will almost always draw out the wax first. So if you want to use plastic don't give them a choice.
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