support pins

[Gomez Adams]

I'm just getting started in bee keeping and have a couple of questions...
Are support pins needed in frames when you use foundation that has wire embeded in it?  Also how often should you replace and/or change out the frames in the broode chamber?  I've read that the cells get smaller with time and continued use.  

[Anonymous]

If you have horizontilly wired frames, and the foundation is crimp wired, you don't need the pins   I personally prefer the wired frames and crimp wired foundation, unless I had it in mind to make cut comb honey.

As far as culling brood comb, there are several different opinions about that.  I feel drawn comb is our most valuable asset, and I am hesitant to discard it under most circumstances.  Others think that it helps with disease control by rotating it out.  I've seen alot of 20 year old comb still in service, in perfectly healthy colonys.  As far as the diameter of the cells becoming smaller over time, this is a good thing.  Many beekeepers, the Lusbys for example, are claiming small cell to be the first line of defense against the mites.  I believe them, and am setting up to regress my colonies this spring.  I imagine if the cell diameter actually became a problem for the bees, they would chew it out to the size they wanted it.  They are pretty good about doing what they need to most of the time, as you will discover.

Finally, enjoy your bees.  They are fascinating creatures that can take over YOUR life if you let them.

[Anonymous]

If your foundation has vertical crimped wires (small wavy wires) and horizontal wires I agree that you don't need the pins. If however, you only have the vertical wires I would recommend you put 2 pins on either end of the foundation. This is true of both foundation for brood areas, or foundation for the honey supers.
In the brood area, if the foundation isn't supported by either horizontal wires or support pins at the ends it can have the tendency to warp from the heat in the brood box or the weight on it.
In the supers it'e a good idea to either wire the foundation with horizontal wires or support it on the ends with support pins due to the forces created in your extractor when you exract the honey from the frames.
As far as replacing old comb, I normally only replace comb that has too many drones cells on it or is so old that it is extremely brittle and difficult to handle without worrying whether or not it's going to break from normal handling.