Cut comb

[snimmo243]

I'm hopeful of getting a heather site organised for this year and plan to do a super of cut comb alongside extracted. I plan to use the rape flow to draw out the comb so My question is starter strips or thin foundation?

Steven


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[Neils]

As someone who doesn't use foundation on a general basis in the supers, I'm going to suggest that for cut comb thin foundation may be better as you'll stand a better chance of getting a nice uniform comb, in worker cell, than if you use starter strips where I suspect you'll more likely get drone comb and they are not always that good at drawing the combs out right to the edge of the frames, certainly along the bottom.

Cut Comb I think is all about the aesthetics and I think worker cell does look neater in the packaging. You could always try a box of each and see how you get on?

[gavin]

Yup, I'm with Neil there. I've tried both and the thin foundation is more reliable (and also faster, so more likely to get you a crop). But I suppose that if you are going to get it drawn on the rape then you can easily cull any not up to scratch.

I find different years' batches of heather honey granulate at different speeds. There could be many reasons for that (I keep changing kitchens(!), other nectar coming in, traces of earlier rape crops in the supers or even the brood box) ... so I'd be really careful that any comb drawn on the rape really is empty before you start. You don't want it crystalising early in cut comb. I still have some of them in the back of the car for emergency feed (the bees, not me), not needed much this year.

[snimmo243]

Hi thanks for the advice Gavin and Neil this will be my first time at the heather so I'm in the dark a bit. The plan of drawing out the cut comb now is to keep a regular check and remove frames as soon as they are drawn. I suppose the next question is whether to put the cut comb super above or below the supers with honey in. I guess above means less chance of them being used for stores but below means they will be drawn quicker

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[gavin]

And maybe below the brood box afterwards to help get them cleaned out? However you will get the comb darkening there ('travel stain'), perhaps enough at affect the product.