>>Plastic foundation in honey supers is one thing, but plastic comb 
in the brood chambers?   It just seems like we?re trying awfully hard to keep a bee from doing what a bee does. 

Why make the distinction between the broodnest and the honey supers? 

I have not seen evidence that plastic frames outgas any harmful chemicals (in humans plastics act as pseudo-estrogen and offset the hormonal balance) and would like to see any results to that effect.

I use Pierco frames in my wooden hives and have not seen unusual bee losses.  I have always thought that the bees keep the in-hive temperatures in a well controlled range.

On the other hand, I have wondered about styrofoam hives which get heated quite a bit by the sun.  I think styrofoam, when heated, outgases benzene, a carcinogen.

Waldemar

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