Richard Drutchas wrote:
>
> Ive put out boxes and boxes of new perco plastic frames this spring and
> as could be expected some of the hives started building comb 90 degrees
> more or less to the comb I gave them. Lindauer found that bees orientate
> the comb using the earth's magnetic field. He also found that if the
> colony is moved it will make comb in the same direction it was going
> at its original stand. Now my question is could I move the the
> nonconformist hives around to make it easier to draw wax up my perco
> frames
 
Richard:
   I don't think moving the hive will help, the bees will draw brace comb
when they are given too much Pierco (or any other) foundation at one time, if
you have to put full boxes of foundation on, use ten frames instead of nine.
Also as the bees draw it out you may want to move the drawn frames to the
outside of the super and move the undrawn ones in to the center, or
intersperse the drawn and undrawn comb with the undrawn closer to the center
of the super. It's a bit of work but it's worth it. Some bees just like to
build brace and burr comb, just try to have the foundation tighter together.
Tim Townsend