"...They are always going to prefer wax to plastic..".

There are two words we teach new bee keepers always never to use in bee keeping

"always" and "never" ...

Any time you see the words "always" and "never", they should be replaced with usually, generally or normally or should.  It usually prevents a bee keeper from sticking their foot into their mouth.

In my experience, bees should work wax foundation or plastic (i.e plasticell, rite cell or whatever the brand name is from where you buy).

What I have noticed is you should not attempt to mix the two types in the same deep or honey super box or even the same hive.  When bees start working one type, they tend to stick with it and ignore the other type.    I have had instances where I mixed plasticell and wax foundation in the same box.   The bees ignored the natural wax foundation and went to town on the brand new plasticell foundation and built it out instead and they absolutely refused to do anything on wax foundation in that hive.  Other bee keepers experience the opposite, the bees preferred the wax foundation and ignored the plasticell.

The intensity and duration of the nectar flow most likely has a lot do with it as well.

Steve 
Central Illinois

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