I experimented this year with 5 new package swarms using plastic foundation
in 3 and crimp-wired foundation in 2.  I installed 3 packages of Buckfast
bees on plastic foundation and fed as normal.  They did very well and kept up
with my Italians on crimped wire.  Surprising they passed them by on the
drawing out rate,  So taking this in mind, the 2nd brood chamber on the
Italians was with plastic and I also placed crimped wire on the Buckfasts.
The Italian swarms tended to build more burr comb and drone comb on the
plastic frame and were much slower drawing this out as opposed to the crimp
wire. So slow in fact, that after I saw what was occurring, I switched back
with the crimped on the Italians and plastic foundation and frames on the
Buckfast.  As of this week they are all equal in drawing out the brood
chambers and now each have 2 medium depth supers placed on them.  It seemed
strange that the Buckfast would draw out foundation more readily on the
plastic frames than the Italians.  Has anyone else had this experience and
has anyone else used the plastic cell or frames in the medium depth supers?

Bill