On Thu, 13 Oct 2005 13:34:09 GMT, [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:

>has anyone tried lettting the bees produce their combs from scratch (no
foundation) in empty Langstroth frames in standard equitment?

I have to wonder why this seemingly simple answer to various goals isn't
employed by more beekeepers.  Foundation may help the bees, but surely that
advantage would be greatly outweighed for most people by the cost and
trouble of making your own foundation, for instance.  And wouldn't this
model answer many of the arguments for using top bar hives?

Scot McPherson mentioned a few days ago that he doesn't use any
foundation.  I'd be interested to hear some details of how his system works
for him (and on what scale it works.)

The only tidbit of wisdom I can offer is that I have interspersed empty
frames (mostly frames that had damaged wax that I cut out) between brood
frames, and the bees have built nice combs that way.  They build more drone
comb than I would think they should want, but still mostly worker comb.
The combs have all been straight, and after a year the frames seem about as
easy to manipulate as if I had wired them.

Eric

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