# Plastic versus Wax Foundation



## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

Pros and cons? 

I've used both and plastic is easier to put into the frames but takes longer to draw on. Wax is harder to put in the frames, more fragile, and doesn't seem like it'd last as long.


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## Sherrynboo (Mar 19, 2005)

Mine won't even work on the plastic ones. We had to order new foundation for them to work on and as soon as we put it in they started building on it. The guy we bought the hive from told us they would not use it but since we already had some we tried it but he was right!

This is coming from very little experience for what it is worth!

Sherry in GA


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## no1cowboy (May 2, 2004)

I use wax in the brood boxes and plastic in the honey supers, I have no problem with them drawing it out.


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## madness (Dec 6, 2006)

My bees hate the plastic. I screwed up some wax frames in the brood chamber though (my beekeeping club didn't even mention anything about wiring foundation when we learned to put together a hive - doh!). I bought plastic ones in a pinch since the only local place only sells plastic.

I just bought some plastic ones for a honey super to see how that goes. I haven't checked on the progress yet, but I bet the bees are boycotting those frames too.

But I suck at getting wax foundation in frames properly. Maybe if I had someone to actually show me, things would be better. But I fumble and fumble and fumble and it never seems to come out right.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

I'm so not inpressed with plastiac and the way our bees except it that the suppliers will have to pay me to put it in our hives.

 Al


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## mj1angier (Jan 3, 2006)

My bees will build on the white plastic but not on the black. Found this out yesterday- super with black had no comb- white plastic was full.


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

I'm using white plastic for my supers but wax in the brood boxes. Some of the hives are drawing ok, but the others are taking their own sweet time about it.


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## SouthernSon (Jun 14, 2008)

I don't know anything about bee keeping. But I have been in plastic injection molding for almost 20 years. Plastic is a petroleum by product. All plastics leech out residue of some kind.


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## Elizabeth (Jun 4, 2002)

I started out using wax and wood frames. Then I started using wood frames with plastic foundation- my bees hate the plastic. Of course, once it's drawn out it's great, and you don't have to replace it for 4-5 years. But, now I am either going to go back to wax foundation, or maybe try foundationless.


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## CJ (May 10, 2002)

We've always used black plastic, no problem at all.


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## lo6xzm (Aug 23, 2006)

I have not been able to notice any difference between the two. I have heard they are a little reluctant to use white though -but they will use white just as well. I guess it just depends on what else they have going on.

Cheers,


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

I think I'm going to get away from the plastic foundation. My bees just aren't drawing on it very well.


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## no1cowboy (May 2, 2004)

I am going to try them plastic tray frames for comb honey


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