George said:

>The reason for the MESS of cross comb, burr comb, oversize comb, etc., was you
>tried to get 9 frames drawn rather than 10, and you violated "bee space".

I couldn't agree more with your comments on using 10 frames tightly packed instead of 9 evenly spaced.  However, the 9 frames that I used  when I had problems with the sideways comb were tightly packed and didn't violate the bee space.  The space that would have been occupied by the missing 10th frame was occupied by a division feeder on the end.  Once the 9 frames are close to being drawn I replace the division feeder with the missing 10th frame, then move the feeder up to the second deep that I add with another 9 frames.  I feed 1:1 syrup continuously until the bees have substantially drawn out the 9 frames in the second story, then I remove the feeder completely and replace it with the 10th frame.  I feed continuously until all comb (save for the very last frame) is drawn.  I don't like boardman feeders because I don't think the bees can get enough syrup fast enough from them when they're drawing comb, so I sacrifice the extra frame to give them more food.

Better yet, I start the package on drawn comb with a couple of frames of eggs and brood from another colony to get them started.

Sorry if I was unclear and it sounded like I advocated using 9 evenly spaced frames in the brood chamber.  Quite the contrary.  I know that many beekeepers prefer to use 9 frames instead of 10 in honey supers because it results in deeper, easier to uncap, combs.  But I always use 10 tightly packed frames in the brood chamber, never 9.  I want all the real estate that I can get down there for brood production.

One thing that I failed to mention in my earlier post is that about halfway through the season I discovered that I was spacing the Piercos incorrectly.  I had been spacing 10 Piercos evenly, leaving what I felt was an uncomfortably wide spacing between them until I learned (through reading) that the 10 frames must be tightly packed and centered in the box to maintain the proper bee space, with the "extra" space be left on the ends.  Once I figured this out and started spacing the frames properly I had a lot less burr and brace comb.

Since we're on the subject of plastic foundation, does anyone have any comments or comparisons between the plastic foundation sheets from Mann Lake, Pierco, and Dadant?  How do they differ, and do the bees seem to care?  Or are they made by the same manufacturer?  Are there others that I haven't mentioned?  And how about the fully drawn plastic combs?  I searched the archives when I started my experimentation with plastic this year but I didn't find much about the plastic foundation sheets.

Take care,

Lance Parr
Network Specialist II
Physical Plant Telecommunications
Texas A&M University
Mail Stop 1371
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