Hi all. First time beekeeper, first question.
I have received my Full Flow Hive, assembled, tung-oiled, built a stand and positioned. I pick up my nuc next week.
My nuc contains 4 frames, and I’ll be installing 4 empty frames, 2 on either side. At one point, the “What’s Included” for the Flow mentioned foundations would be included, but my box had none. Do I need to add a wax/plastic foundation to the empty frames?
http://forum.honeyflow.com/t/bee-hive-base-sizes/4399/9?u=martydallas
Look at this link and video
you don’t need the foundation
Hi Rob, lots of people talk about & recommend foundationless frames, I’m not one of them. I’ve tried foundation & foundationless. I’ve also played around with a few plastic foundation frames that were given to me. I’m finding I get the best results by far by using wax foundation.
Foundation was never on offer. Probable as some places will not allow wax or wax products as imports One being Australia.
When you make the frames up there is a strip for the bees to use as a guide.
Please do some research before the nuc arrives. Firstly you need to understand the bee life cycles ie Queen, work er and drone. Join a club and find a mentor. As a first time beek you will need an expert on hand.
…and I am one of them…
Whatever you do, you need to understand it and you need to get the hang of how to do it. Everything, of course, is easier when you have some straight drawn comb to work with. Then you can get away with all sorts of mistakes…
I prefer foundation lees as there is less transference of disease from bought in wax
I am trialling foundation-less frames because I would like to see the bees draw the comb they want for their own purposes. I’m not convinced about the disease aspect of bought foundation if sourced properly. What I am convinced about, talking to treatment-free beekeepers, is that letting the bees build their own home seems to help them live with varroa in some way.
I’ve been attempting to use foundation in the brood box and foundationless for honey. Doesn’t always work out but I’m finding my Flow hive bee colony can draw comb on starter strips very quickly. I have the foundationless frames set up near the Flow box window. This lets me take a peek whenever I want.