Drone comb- Plastic or wax ?

[rayb]

Does anyone have an opinion on using drone comb for varroa control and, if so, is there a difference between the wax coated plastic (Pierco) or wax only foundation?

Thanks, Ray

[yoderski]

I have good luck with the coated Pierco frames--they drew them out well, and were able to be reused.  They do have little grooves in them that harbor a few SHB at times--but not bad...

[Michael Bush]

>Does anyone have an opinion on using drone comb for varroa control

I had planned on it for a fallback if the small cell didn't work soon enough.  I've never done it.  But it's a pretty expensive (in resources) process for the bees.  They could have raised a frame of worker brood for every frame of drone you kill and they will only try to raise more drones because they still didn't get the drones they needed.

>is there a difference between the wax coated plastic (Pierco) or wax only foundation?

The bees will take to the wax sooner than the plastic.  The plastic will be more durable after they draw it.

If you have all worker foundation in the hive, then an empty frame in the middle of the brood nest will usually get drawn as drone in the spring.  This time of year it's hard to say if they will even raise any drones or not.  It will depend on the nectar flow and the climate and the current level of drones in the hive.

[Jeffrey Tooker]

My name is Jeffrey Tooker.  I am a new member of this list.  I am getting back to bee keeping after being out of it for about 10 years.  Within three miles radius there everything the bees could want.  This spring I retired to Paynes Creek California.  I am actually about 10 miles East of Paynes Creek where the post office is.  I am up at about 3400 ft.  I am on the boundary between the wooded area and the brushy area.  The first bloom for the bees is Manzanita.  It starts in February (more or less).  About the last is Star Thistle.  It starts about August.  In between we have all kinds if brush and wild flowers.  

I have question about Oleander.  In the small community I live in there are about 15 Oleanders.  The Oleander is a poisonus plant.  Will this have an effect on the honey?  I know that in the suburbs Oleanders are common enough and must get into the honey produced.

>Does anyone have an opinion on using drone comb for varroa control

I had planned on it for a fallback if the small cell didn't work soon enough.  I've never done it.  But it's a pretty expensive (in resources) process for the bees.  They could have raised a frame of worker brood for every frame of drone you kill and they will only try to raise more drones because they still didn't get the drones they needed.>>>

Has there been any credable research done on the consequences to the hive (not the Varroa) when "Drone Comb Varroa Control" is used?

Jeffrey Tooker

[Finsky]

Whole frame of drones are too much for varroa. The cycle of drones lasts 4 weeks and you need all the time drone larvae to catch mites.

I use Langstroth frame where I put medium size foundation. When dones are capped I cut whole piece away to birds and bees make new dronecombs. I use two catching frames inside brood area.  So drone comb area is 1/3 of Langstroth.

[Michael Bush]

>Has there been any credable research done on the consequences to the hive (not the Varroa) when "Drone Comb Varroa Control" is used?


It's not hard to figure.  A frame of drone costs the bees the same resources (labor, pollen, honey, water) as a frame of workers.  If they don't get drones, they will raise more. If they have enough they will spend the resources to raise workers.  So every frame of drones you kill costs them a frame of workers.  Is this worth it?  If it's needed to control the Varroa, perhaps.