Grant said:

> I've tried spraying with sugar syrup only to
> have it bead up and roll off the waxed coating.

I can offer a suggestion on this point.
Try a sprayer with a "fine" mist.  If you
want to use a fingertip pump sprayer, avoid
sprayers from "industrial" and "cleaning"
products, and find one for a "cosmetic" product.

I have tested lots of different fingertip
pump sprayers in selecting one to be
included with bottles of Bee-Quick.
(We will "upgrade" all dealer stock within
the next two months, so all bottles sold
from June 2003 on will have sprayers.)

With a fine mist (and not too much spraying)
the droplets should be able to stay put
on the foundation.  The "fine mist" sprayers
will but out MUCH less than 1 cc per pump.
The "regular mist" sprayers will put out
at least 1 cc per pump.

But if foundation has to be "baited" to get
the bees to give it any attention at all,
perhaps the problem is that the bees simply
do not feel that they have a comb "shortage",
in that they have sufficient empty comb to
support their operations.

> the relative brevity of the honeyflow limits
> how many frames can be drawn out.

Then feed the bees!  I slap feeders on my colonies
in July and August when there is not much else
going on here in Virginia with the sole purpose
of getting them to draw comb.  Since I remove honey
supers before doing this, the feed (sugar, HFCS, whatever)
does not get into the harvestable crop, but is instead
part of their overwintering stores.  The removal of
all supers, combined with the feeding, usually creates a
"sense of urgency" about drawing comb.

Of course, now that the 6-year-long drought conditions
have eased, I may modify this approach, as less dry
conditions may allow me to get a "fall crop".


        jim

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
-- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and  other info ---
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::