# Altering plastic frames



## springvalley (Jun 23, 2009)

Ok, when I got into bee keeping, I went with what my beekeeper mentor told me and that was the bees don't care if it's plastic frame or wax. Well, MY bees do! I bought the plastic frames as they seemed firmer and wouldn't warp thereby lasting longer and being more uniform, etc. Now I'm wondering if there is a way to alter the plastic frames so that the bees will accept them better. 

Can I just cut out a hunk of the plastic 'comb' starter and let them put in their own? Kinda like a top bar? Will they build their comb from this or ignore it even more? Do I just hold out and eventually they'll draw it out? Advice and suggestions welcome!

Catherine


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## thequeensblessing (Mar 30, 2003)

We use both plastic and wood frames. With the plastic, we have to paint them over with a thin coating of honey and that seems to help the bees accept them. We usually have 1 out of 4 plastic frames that end up with burr comb, however, we just scape it down and try again. When you get successful plastic comb drawn the advantages are much greater than with wooden frames. You can scrape it down and start over much easier if you get wax moths, etc. It doesn't ruin the whole thing as it does with wooden frames and wax foundation. Mice are less likely to ruin frames with the plastic as well.


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## Michael Bush (Oct 26, 2008)

Obviously the bees care... but they will draw the plastic and once they do they won't care...


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

If you want comb drawn out fast go with the so called work intensified wood frames and real wax. If you want to take several naps with the so called easy plastiac stuff. Paint it with a thin coat of wax, cover it with honey and go take those naps while waiting on the bees to relize we got to draw this stuff as that is all we are going to get.

If you properly take care of wood frames with real wax it will last a very long time. When the comb get to the point of needing to be recycled hang the frames in a solar melter, remove them in a couple of days, scrape any remaining residue, soak in a bleach bath for 3 or 4 days rince, then reinstall the wax foundation.

DO NOT put plastiac frames in a solar melter.

Getting late in the year to get the girls to draw any foundation.

:grin: Al


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## ET1 SS (Oct 22, 2005)

Our bees more often tend to reject the plastic.

I have not tried painting wax on them, but I like that idea.


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## suzyhomemaker09 (Sep 24, 2004)

We've had success with a mix of sugar water ( much like you'd use to spring feed) and honey b healthy...mix in a spray bottle and spray it down well.


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## springvalley (Jun 23, 2009)

Thank you for all your replies. I think I'll leave the plastic frames in there this year and hopefully they'll start to draw them out as I'm going to spray them with the sugar water and Honey B Healthy. But I'm also going to experiment with top bars next year to see if they'd rather draw their own comb. Granted, it won't make it through the extractor, but I can cut comb from those. I'm thinking of putting a plastic frame in between each top bar to at least give them some direction? Or do you think this will cause cross comb building?

Catherine


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