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----------------- Original message (ID=935AAB1D) (75 lines)
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Date: Thu, 13 Dec 2001 11:18:52 -0600
From: "Lance Parr" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: On Pierco plastic frames.
My personal experience with starting a package on Pierco frames was not
good.
I'm in College Station, Texas (East Central Texas). This spring I started a
3 lb. package of Russians from Hardeman's on nine frames of deep white wax
coated Pierco frames with a division feeder full of 2:1 sugar syrup.
Following advice seen on this list I sprayed each frame with the same 2:1
sugar syrup as I had filled the feeder with moments prior to installation.
Installation went smoothly with no problems (no smoke, veil or gloves). A
week and two days later I checked on them and found that they had released
the queen and begun building transverse (parallel with the front of the
hive, 90 degrees the frames) strips of comb between the frames. The strips
were fairly straight from top to bottom, and had the proper bee space
between them. I pulled all the frames and scraped the comb away, with deep
regret since it was full of eggs, pollen and stored syrup. I checked on
them again a week later and found the exact same thing, repeating the
process of scraping away the c!
omb and forcing them to start over. I was out of town and didn't have a
chance to check on them again for another two weeks. When I did I found the
exact same situation. This time I pulled the Piercos and replaced them with
wood frames and wired wax foundation from Kelley's. A week later they had a
good start on good straight comb drawn from the foundation and I've had no
problems with them since (other than the normal amount of burr and brace
comb).
I scraped the Piercos again, added a tenth, put them on a strong colony
during the flow and they drew them out and filled them just fine. Ditto
with another super of white Piercos that I put on a colony of Caucasians
that I had started from a package about the same time that I started the
Russians. I installed this package (from Farris Homans) on wood frames with
wired wax foundation from Kelley's. These Caucasians were building up
quickly and I added the Piercos as the second deep on the brood chamber
(nine frames with a division feeder). They drew them out nice and straight,
filling them solid with brood and stores. During the flow I gave the same
colony a super of ten medium white Piercos and they filled them solid with
nice straight comb as well.
FWIW: I started another colony from a 3 lb Russian package from Tabers on
nine frames of white wax coated Mann Lake Rite-Cell and had no problems. I
added a second deep of Rite Cell, then a medium of Rite Cell on this same
colony and they drew them out nice and straight as well.
This is my first season to use plastic frames or foundation, and this was
only an experiment. I intend to stick with wood frames & wax foundation,
but I have to admit that the convenience is nice. I have no idea how the
frames will hold up, or if I'll have problems years from now when I scrape
them clean and give them back to the bees to start over.
Why did I have the lousy luck with the Piercos that I started the package
on? I don't know, and I'm open to ideas. I started them on all new
equipment, migratory top, in a good location with lots of good forage and
water nearby. They didn't appear to be under any stress. And I've not
previously seen any advice against starting a package on Piercos. My
results and observations are totally un-scientific, so take them for what
they're worth.
Take care,
Lance Parr
Network Specialist II
Physical Plant Telecommunications
Texas A&M University
Mail Stop 1371
College Station, Texas 77843-1371
[log in to unmask]
(979) 458-1746
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