Date sent: Fri, 28 Mar 2003 22:20:53 EST Send reply to: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]> From: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [BEE-L] Plastic foundation not drawn out To: [log in to unmask] > However, while I was giving > these talks and teaching, I was constantly dumbfounded by the vast number > of beekeepers (beeHAVERS) that did not understand that bees MUST HAVE > A > NECTAR FLOW OR ARTIFICIAL NECTAR FLOW OF 1:1 SUGAR SYRUP to > make them > build comb! We made 11 5-frame nucs about ten days ago, and put them into the beekeeper's hives, which he had delivered earlier. He had included 4 frames of Pierco foundation and a feeder. We had planned to feed them when we unloaded them, but it was very late and we were exhausted, so it got put off. Well the next day it rained, then the next, then we were busy...well you know the rest. Day before yesterday I checked them for queen acceptance and realized that we had not yet fed them. Unfortunately during the interim, they had built quite a bit of bridge comb, rather than draw out the foundation. I had to take quite a bit of time to scrape all that off, and, of course finally feed them. Now they are drawing comb nicely. It's just one example of what happens when forgetting George's simple rule. They MUST have a nectar flow to draw foundation, even if it's a "flow by Dixie Crystal," as we say in the South.... And when you reduce the size of the hive, AKA making nucs, you reduce the flow, because you reduce the field force. If you expect a nuc (or even more so, a package) to draw foundation, you should expect to feed, even during a good flow, until the comb is drawn. With whole hives, in the early spring, they get sporadic flows, and you sometimes see a nice strong hive that has quite a bit of nectar, but NO capped feed. What you have to remember, in assessing the needs of the hive is that any *uncapped reserve* is no reserve at all. A week of rainy weather can kill this hive, because uncapped nectar is used very quickly when the bees are building. If I can't find a frame of capped honey to give them, they've gotta have some syrup in the feeder. Whether it's early spring buildup, or during a summer drought, the bees must NEVER run out of capped honey. The best of good intentions to feed them, will never equal an actual feeding. Fortunately it was plastic rather than wired or Duragilt, which would have been ruined by removing the bridge combs. I fought the use of plastic foundation for a long time, but the ease of fixing badly drawn comb is one of the points that has now convinced me. I still prefer wooden frames for my own bees, but Pierco negates the labor cost of assembling frames, so it is becoming the standard in commercial outfits. Dave Green SC USA The Pollination Home Page: http://pollinator.com :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::