What is this slot used for in this frame?

You pop off that piece of wood, then put your foundation, popsicle sticks, under it, then nail it back on again.

Thank you!
Seems like a lot of work. I used the plastic foundation, just bent it til it snapped in!

If you used wax foundation you would appreciate it. If you were to run foundationless, you would use this piece centered for the bees to use as a guide.

Maybe it's a lot of work for some but I'm guessing it takes me about 30 seconds per frame on a slow day.

I believe that if you ordered grooved top bar frames, you would be using the correct frame for your purpose.

Wayne

It's called a wedge top. Intended for use with wired wax foundation with hooks. You snap it off, put the hooks from the foundation in that space, then nail the wedge back on. I wouldn't do it any other way. But as in all aspects of bee keeping, there are many ways to do it correctly! Just tell the supplier you are using plastic foundation, and you don't need wedge tops. (I am surprised many haven't popped off on you...sometimes the wedge falls off when you barely touch it)

On another note, how is that black plastic working for you? I am not a fan of the white/cream plastic (actually, my BEES are not!). I have wondered about the black though....

Bees In Miami said:

On another note, how is that black plastic working for you? I am not a fan of the white/cream plastic (actually, my BEES are not!). I have wondered about the black though....

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The eggs show up so well that I don't need my glasses to see them!
I don't understand why any bee would care what color the plastic is - with no light, all foundation is black

This is my second year with the plastic - my first with black. The bees didn't skip a beat.

Thanks Jackam....I have always used hook wired wax....saw a deal on Amazon last season for wax foundation in wooden frames, so I bought 10, and my bees HATED it. Threw two frames in two hives as an experiment, and even during a flow, they didn't draw the whole frames. Those are the frames in the back of my truck in case I get an emergency swarm removal now...You can't kill that plastic foundation... Maybe I'll pick up a couple black foundations as (yet another) experiment. Thanks for the feedback. (No glasses would sure be a bonus! LOL! They tend to slide off my nose due to sweat! LOL) Thanks.

waynesgarden said:

If you used wax foundation you would appreciate it. If you were to run foundationless, you would use this piece centered for the bees to use as a guide.

Maybe it's a lot of work for some but I'm guessing it takes me about 30 seconds per frame on a slow day.

I believe that if you ordered grooved top bar frames, you would be using the correct frame for your purpose.

Wayne

Click to expand...

Especially crimp wired foundation. That wedge breaks off, the sheet of wax foundation is installed and the wedge is nailed back in place holding the foundation in place. Old School but it works.

Around here we call it a wedge bar not a wedge top. If you were buying new you would not get this style of frame for use with plastic foundation. It is most intended to work with wax foundation with embedded wires that are hooked. The "slot" you see serves no purpose, other than to remind you of incorrect foundation/frame pairing. But you made it work, so no worries.