perco plastic and wax foundation??

[Bubba]

Ok I have read that it isn't good to mix plastic foundation and wax foundation in the same hive. So my question is this I waunt to try to use perco plastic frames and foundation in the brood area and use a excluder then use thin foundation in the honey supers for cut comb. Does anyone think that this setup would work or should I just put wired foundation in the brood area. Any info is greatly appreciated!

[TwT]

if you want to use pierco in the brood area, it will be fine as long as you let them draw it out , after they draw out the pierco then put your supers on, I have pierco in my brood chambers and wax in my supers, just let them draw it out brood chambers then put the supers on and you will be fine... from what I seen with mine for them to draw out the pierco I had to rotate or checker board some of the frames for them to complete and still the will leave a undrawn frame if you add the supers to soon, I have some pics here

http://www.beemaster.com/beebbs/viewtopic.php?t=2466

[Bubba]

Thanks TwT

Does the pierco seem as sturdy as wooden frames or a little better? I too like that they are out of the box and into the hive. I am just getting started and waunt to buy quality equipment to start with.

[TwT]

the new ones as of a few years ago are real sturdy, they are as good in my opinion, the only thing about them I am starting to learn is when you are grafting and raising queens, bee will draw out wax longer than they will draw plastic, One advantage to using pierco is if they make burr comb you only have to scrap it off...

example: from what i have seen with plastic they draw only when there is a good flow or just when you are feeding heavy before the flow and you have a good quantity of bee's during that flow or feeding, the only time I see them not drawing wax foundation is when their in a dearth, like I said above I am just starting grafting and need allot of frames and cell's being drawn out, I am using wood frames and small cell starter strips (small cell foundation I cut about 2 inches deep that was giving to me from a good friend) so my other hives can get these going for my nuc's that i'm going to put these queen cells in, now I get small bee's with the pierco and I like the plastic but it the drawing out I don't like compared to the wax.... but this is just what I have seen... but if I was just going to keep a few hive and not get into the queen rearing thing I would use the pierco, hope this helps...

[Jack Parr]

Thanks TwT

Does the pierco seem as sturdy as wooden frames or a little better? I too like that they are out of the box and into the hive. I am just getting started and waunt to buy quality equipment to start with.

I use Pierco if I have to buy foundation. I have some miscellanous wooden frames acquired through nuc purchases, plus some that I have used to insert comb within when doing a colony transfer from a feral state to a regular hive enviroment.

The Pierco is very sturdy and will take some punishment;  As much as is needed for a beehive.

The bees will build comb IF and WHEN they need to and that has been my "short" experience. They WILL draw out the Pierco readily when there is a honey flow, and for me they did a beautiful job last year in a nine frame/medium honey super

You should pay attention to the time of the year " season " to get an accurate assement of what YOUR bees are doing in YOUR locale.

I discussed the Pierco with long time beekeepers and some think it's OK and some prefer all wax. The Pierco is dipped in wax and smells and feels like wax. Plus, no work to assembly.

Of course there are many oponions on the subject but some are wrong.    as in all things.

[Michael Bush]

The no mixing plastic and wax concept applies to bare foundation.  If you put wax foundation and plastic foundation in the hive at the same time they will ignore the plastic and draw the wax.  Once they are drawn it's irelevant.  So if they build the brood nest first and the draw the supers later, they will mix just fine.

My decisions on foundation are more based on cell size rather than plastic or wax or convenience.

[Bubba]

:D Thanks for all the info ! I greatly appreciate it.