Comments on: DIY: Natural Comb in Langstroth Hives Using Frames

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By: Rebecca Scott

Rebecca Scott — Fri, 09 Mar 2018 06:26:55 +0000

Hello. I am a beginner beekeeper. I have not yet received my queen but expect to next month. I have been trying to figure out how to use a warre style system with a langstroth hive. I like that natural ideals behind the Warre system but wanted to use frames in order to be able to make it easier to remove comb for harvest or to move some comb to another weaker hive, etc. But, I didn’t want to use foundation in my frames. I’ve been wondering how the bees would build comb in a frame without some sort of direction. I think this is a great idea, using a starter strip. But I don’t understand how to install it is the frame. Can you explain that a little bit? Thank you

By: David S

David S — Thu, 07 Jul 2016 04:16:59 +0000

In reply to Dan. Question. Instead of starter strips has anyone had experience with wooden paint stirrers for starter strips. Do the bees choose their own cell size this way? I have also heard of 4 foundationless combs sandwiched between 6 frames with.

By: Dan

Dan — Sat, 30 Apr 2016 11:46:53 +0000

If a piece of foundation is placed as “starter” it will not be “natural comb” at least as far as the bees are concerned since the bees will use the imprint from the small sized cell foundation to draw their comb. The idea behind natural comb is that the bees make that specific cell size in synchrony with the environmental factors that prevail for that ecological area. Cell size changes as you go north(bigger)/south(smaller) and the idea is that we as beekeepers allow the bees to construct the cell size best suited for that environment in which the bees are kept and managed. Foundation used as starter for the bees to draw comb, unless from a known clean source, will contain some of the contaminants we are trying to avoid bringing into the colony.
If you are concerned about comb weakness when it comes to spin the frames at honey harvest, place the wires in the frame as you would for foundation, the bees WILL build comb around them embeding them in the process. This will only be a problem the first season. Combs older than a year will be sturdier.

By: Rick

Rick — Sat, 27 Feb 2016 00:26:49 +0000

In reply to Name*Chris. The weight of the honey will destroy the comb in an extractor. I use a large 20 extractor if I spin it up to high RPM it still destroys wired comb. Learned that one myself

By: Rick

Rick — Sat, 27 Feb 2016 00:24:03 +0000

In reply to Sarah McGregor. The mites seem to attack the drones more, then you pull the drone frames to remove a majority of mites

By: Rick

Rick — Sat, 27 Feb 2016 00:21:22 +0000

But you cannot spin the comb with this method. It is a great one for combed honey squares. Using wired foundation I have saved my bees from having to recomb every year ( takes +-4 weeks to comb a full super in my area NW, The bees just clean/repair and get an extra month of gathering honey in our honey flow season here. My frames have been in excellent shape for 4 years, along with repositioning the hive bodies every spring and winter, the main bodies get used evenly every year. then every year I replace a couple of main hive frames and keep the brood in great shape along with their comb. They seem to do very well. Last year got 3 full supers per hive, 1 gets 4 full supers every year ( have 3 hives ). Well over the state of Oregon’s average haul of 1 super per hive. Been like this for 5 years now..

By: Cindy

Cindy — Fri, 01 Jan 2016 18:29:44 +0000

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By: Sarah McGregor

Sarah McGregor — Thu, 10 Sep 2015 20:39:25 +0000

In reply to Name*Chris. Some people use foundation only in their honey supers so that they avaid the extraction problems associated with foundationless frames.

By: Sarah McGregor

Sarah McGregor — Thu, 10 Sep 2015 20:35:53 +0000

I’ve been doing this for a couple of years. I’ve also read that it may be healthier for the bees since they build cells the size they need–large for drones, etc, and, some think the drones can be used to control mites. In addition, I’ve read that the worker cells may actually be smaller and these smaller bees may be less susceptible to mites.