4: Getting Broody - Frames & Comb
4LESSON
Types of broods frames[TEXT ONLY]
Introduction to naturally drawn comb
Foundationless beekeeping[Featuring Hilary Kearny
ASSESMENT (Optional)
Types of brood frames [TEXT ONLY]
4: Getting Broody - Frames & Comb
There are various types of frame available for use in the brood box, and each beekeeper will have a preference for a particular type of brood frame. If you’ve got a Flow Hive you will have received wooden brood frames that can be used for foundationless beekeeping or made to accommodate wax and wire. In this lesson, we will go over the pros and cons of each type of brood frame.
Wax & wire foundation frames
- These were invented in Germany in 1857. They provide the bees with a structure onto which they draw their comb and (with conventional honey harvesting) allow the frames to be put into a centrifuge for honey extraction.
- Wax foundation frames are wooden brood frames with wire threaded through. You put a wax foundation sheet across the wires and melt the wax onto the wires using a 12V power supply or car battery.
- PROS:
- Bees prefer wax foundation to plastic, and will usually start building comb quicker than on plastic foundation.
- The foundation ensures that the bees will draw straight comb.
- CONS:
- Putting wax onto the wired frames takes a lot of time and effort.
- The introduction of wax from outside sources increases the chance of contamination. Much commercial wax contains traces of pesticides.
- Wax and wire frames force the bees to use a uniform cell size, which can have adverse effects on the health of the colony.
Plastic foundation frames
- These can be wooden or plastic frames containing plastic foundation. The foundation is usually made from ABS plastic.
- PROS:
- Plastic frames are easier to install than wax and wire frames.
- They are also tough and durable.
- CONS:
- You cannot cut honeycomb out of plastic foundation.
- Bees tend not to prefer plastic foundation and may be slow in building comb. You can add wax to the plastic foundation to encourage the bees to begin building comb.
- Using plastic foundation forces the bees to use a uniform cell size, which can have adverse effects on the health of the colony.
Foundationless frames
- Foundationless frames allow the bees to draw their own comb. A comb guide helps the bees to draw their comb correctly.
- PROS:
- They are less expensive and quicker to prepare than other frames.
- You can cut out large sections of honeycomb from these frames.
- They allow the bees to build cells of varying sizes, which can improve the health of the colony.
- Avoids introducing wax from other sources into your hive, reducing the potential for contamination.
- CONS:
- Naturally drawn comb can be fragile, and you need to be careful not to break it during handling and inspection.
- If your brood box is not level or if your frames are not set up properly, the bees may build their comb sideways across the frames (‘cross-combing’), which is difficult and time consuming to process.