Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: madscientist on July 23, 2008, 11:31:01 pm

Title: wax is expensive!
Post by: madscientist on July 23, 2008, 11:31:01 pm

I've gone back to feeding to build up comb for next year, which will be my 2nd.  My five hives can easily go through 50 lbs of sugar a week used in a 1:1 syrup.  At walmart's 25lb bag price, that's 80 bucks a month that I'll be spending on sugar.  Hopefully I'm doing something wrong and it shouldn't be this expensive.  Please tell me what it is...

Title: Re: wax is expensive!
Post by: SgtMaj on July 23, 2008, 11:48:15 pm

You just want them to build comb, right?

If so, try cutting back to light syrup (1:2), which may trick them into thinking a flow is about to start, which should trigger them to build more comb, at least according to master beekeeper George Emirie... That should also save you about $40 a month since you get twice as much syrup from the same amount of sugar.

Title: Re: wax is expensive!
Post by: Kathyp on July 24, 2008, 12:57:18 am

also, it's not a think you have to do year after year unless you expand.  you'll have the drawn comb and can replace a bit at a time.

Title: Re: wax is expensive!
Post by: SgtMaj on July 24, 2008, 02:15:53 am

Unless trying to harvest and sell the wax... but in similar words to those of George Imirie... drawn comb is a beek's most precious resource.

Title: Re: wax is expensive!
Post by: Ross on July 24, 2008, 08:49:21 am

As it gets later in the year, the bees like drawing wax less and less.  Even with a fall flow it's hard to get them to draw wax.  They seem to want to pack down.  They will use drawn comb and fill it, but not draw much new. 

Title: Re: wax is expensive!
Post by: Robo on July 24, 2008, 08:52:49 am

Quote from: madscientist on July 23, 2008, 11:31:01 pm

that's 80 bucks a month that I'll be spending on sugar.  Hopefully I'm doing something wrong and it shouldn't be this expensive.  Please tell me what it is...

I guess that makes HSC look like a bargain.

Title: Re: wax is expensive!
Post by: madscientist on July 24, 2008, 10:27:48 am

I guess I should know what HSC stands for but I don't.  What is it?

Title: Re: wax is expensive!
Post by: Robo on July 24, 2008, 10:42:11 am

Honey Super Cell.  Fully drawn 4.9 frames.

www.honeysupercell.com

Title: Re: wax is expensive!
Post by: SgtMaj on July 24, 2008, 12:08:13 pm

It looks expensive at first, but it's only like $6 per frame...

ok, it still looks expensive, when was it supposed to look cheap again?

Title: Re: wax is expensive!
Post by: Robo on July 24, 2008, 01:13:55 pm

When you look at the big picture.

Last almost indefinitely
   - how many years do you plan to get out of wax before replacing?  3,5,? 

no $$ treating for wax moth
no $$ feeding sugar to build comb
instant regression, no wasting comb

Title: Re: wax is expensive!
Post by: SgtMaj on July 24, 2008, 01:36:52 pm

That just makes the normal method look expensive too... It still doesn't make any of them look cheap...  ;)