My two new hives of Buckfast bees had a rocky start.
They hated the plastic foundation I was using and built comb almost everywhere else. From the ceiling of the Hive cover mostly…
The bees are happy even if I’m not…
I replaced the plastic foundation with wax and they were a bit happier. Not a pretty sight from the inside however.
Now Hive Number Two seems to have slipped a bit from its moorings. This will be fixed ASAP.
The good news is that both hives are happy and healthy and prospering! I couldn’t ask for anything more!!
Related articles
- A Tale of Two Queens (lencionidesign.wordpress.com)
- Beautiful Beekeeping – I Was Framed! (romancingthebee.com)
- Beautiful Beekeeping – If It Isn’t Broken… (romancingthebee.com)
- Four Things My Hobby Taught Me About Finding Work (forbes.com)
- New Hive(s) – Installation Update (beesomebody.wordpress.com)
- Bee Update – June 22 2013 (comptonverneylandscapegarden.wordpress.com)
Ours hate plastic, too! In any form, it seems. We learned this after a shipping error, when we received wax-coated plastic foundation instead of pure wax; since we really needed to add a super, we decided to just use what we had on hand. And then we spent ages trying to figure out why they were avoiding certain frames…and eventually replacing those frames, one by one.
They really don’t like it at all! I’m surprised we don’t hear more about that!!
My local beekeepers are out of honey at the moment. I am without honey and it is killing me. Sure I could buy store bought honey, but we all know that is a terrible substitute for the real thing.
I’ll be happy to sell you some of my Spring honey if you want. At “Blog-Pal” prices!!
What are you supposed do with the burr combs you removed from the hive? I have removed some from mine that are still sitting in the kitchen, all wax. I feel too guilty to throw them away but I don’t know what to do with them.
You could render it down – here’s a method: http://www.honeybeesuite.com/how-to-render-beeswax/
Oh my, they really did have fun on that hive cover! Poor you. It seems to be a lot more common to use plastic combs in the US. I don’t like the idea personally, it seems more unnatural than wax foundation.
I’m so glad the girls are adjusting!!!!