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Author Topic: plastic foundations  (Read 2132 times)

Offline brit.thebee

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plastic foundations
« on: April 07, 2007, 05:54:20 pm »
I think my bees hate the plastic.  They aren't taking to it at all.  A friend of mine said that in this part of the country bees don't generally care for plastic foundations.  Also someone else said to try spraying sugar water on them.  Did that a few days ago.  Anybody got anything to say about plastic foundations in Texas?
What's with this weather?!  It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.  Too bad it's Easter.

Offline Understudy

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Re: plastic foundations
« Reply #1 on: April 07, 2007, 06:17:44 pm »
I don't think it is the area. I use permacomb. Which is plastic drawn foundation. I have only had them reject it once and it was a set I didn't prepare with sugar water and Honey B Healthy.

I have done it where I completely immerse the the permacomb and scrub it with a brush so it gets into the cells. I have done it where I spray the cells with my 3 gallon high pressue spray bottle. I have seen both work. The difference is I immerse them if they are brand new and the mixture is heated. If they are used I spray them and mixture is either cold or rom temprature depending on how long I have had it out of the refrigarator.

If you can put it in between two established hive boxes instead of on top.

Sincerelly,
Brendhan

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Offline AllanJ

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Re: plastic foundations
« Reply #2 on: April 07, 2007, 06:43:21 pm »
I understand the best way to get plastic accepted is to not give them any choice.. ie, plastic only.  For my 1st hive I am using Permacomb but can't comment on it's success since I have been unable to get inside since I installed them..  I did spray them with HBH though.

Brit, have you tried singing to them? :)

Offline MarkR

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Re: plastic foundations
« Reply #3 on: April 07, 2007, 07:17:36 pm »
Funny you should mention that Alan, that's what my wife told me to do.







I haven't been able to bring myself to do it yet though.

Mark

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: plastic foundations
« Reply #4 on: April 07, 2007, 08:29:58 pm »
>I think my bees hate the plastic.

All bees hate plastic.

> They aren't taking to it at all.  A friend of mine said that in this part of the country bees don't generally care for plastic foundations.

It's not the part of the country.

> Also someone else said to try spraying sugar water on them.

That helps.  But sugar water with scent seems to work better.  Honey Bee Healthy (HBH) or even vanilla will cover some of the plastic smell.  It also needs some wax on it. Some plastic comes with wax on it.
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Offline MBrowne

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Re: plastic foundations
« Reply #5 on: April 08, 2007, 12:33:43 am »
Although the pierco plasic foundation that I had last year did not do so well, I decided to go for both extreams this year. I started several packages on permacomb and HSC. I think the key is using HBH and not just plain sugar water. The next batch of packages I will be using the foundationless "Bush" frames. But I am counting on some form of plastic foundation in my honey supers this year.

Offline brit.thebee

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Re: plastic foundations
« Reply #6 on: April 08, 2007, 10:52:12 am »
Brit, have you tried singing to them? :)

Of course I sing to them!  I'm trying to teach them to match pitch with their buzzing, but I guess I better focus on the foundations.  They're brand new, wax-coated.  And they're all just hanging out on the plastic but not doing anything productive on them.  Thanks for the advice...can't wait til it stops sleeting so it'll warm up and I can see if it helps!

 

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