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Author Topic: Wax and Plastic Foundations  (Read 1391 times)

Offline labradorfarms

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Wax and Plastic Foundations
« on: January 26, 2014, 04:32:03 pm »
I have decided to start out with two hives.... Could I have one hive with a pure wax foundation and one hive with plastic foundation?
Are the cell sizes the same? I mean if going into winter and one hive gets weak and I must combine them. Would the bees from the pure wax hive  do ok in the Plastic foundation hive and visa versa???

Id just like to see which hive preforms better?


Offline Vance G

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Re: Wax and Plastic Foundations
« Reply #1 on: January 26, 2014, 04:36:43 pm »
In the fall particularly, any difference in size would be immaterial.  Bees naturally build different size cells in their nests. 

Online Michael Bush

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Re: Wax and Plastic Foundations
« Reply #2 on: January 26, 2014, 09:07:57 pm »
>I have decided to start out with two hives.... Could I have one hive with a pure wax foundation and one hive with plastic foundation?

Yes.

>Are the cell sizes the same?

It depends:
http://bushfarms.com/beesnaturalcell.htm#cellsizes

What matters to me is that it is 4.9mm or so...

>I mean if going into winter and one hive gets weak and I must combine them. Would the bees from the pure wax hive  do ok in the Plastic foundation hive and visa versa???

http://bushfarms.com/beesfallacies.htm#waxplastic
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
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