-Witnessing an impressive brood pattern on small cell-sized comb.

Plastic Small Cell Frames: A Hive Makeover

So, let me spill the tea on this latest hive makeover. I got my hands on five 3 lb bee packages and set them up in single, classic, 10-frame Langstroth hives. Now, what makes these setups special? They’re rocking plastic small cell frames and a division board feeder.

This marks the kickoff to creating 3-story deep body hives, where each box mimics the structure of a natural broodnest.

And guess what? Along the way, I’m going to compare this new small cell plastic frame experience with my trusty decades-old wax foundation small cell setup.

Despite the chilly and windy May vibes, these bees didn’t let the weather rain on their parade. They kept on building small cell-sized comb and raising brood like champs.

Setup

To replicate the cell size and comb spacing found in a natural broodnest, I got creative with some Mann Lake’s small cell size plastic frames. Here’s the lowdown on the setup:

• A division board feeder cozied up at one side.
• The center stage was reserved for 6 Mann Lake PF-100 frames, cut to 1 1/4″ spacing.
• The remaining dance floor was filled with PF-100 frames at 1 3/8″ spacing.
• The feeder? Oh, it was filled with a delightful 1:1 sugar syrup.

Now, let’s talk long-term goals. Picture this: 3-story hives, each brood box playing its part like a well-orchestrated symphony.

• 5 central small cell frames at 1 1/4″ spacing
• 4 large cell frames at 1 3/8″ spacing
• 2 drone frames on the outside edges
• Honey supers with a generous serving of large cell size comb

Sounds like a hive fairy tale, right? But first, let’s see how those bees do with drawing out small cell comb.

To find out, I filled the singles with small cell size plastic frames I had left over from my small cell work a decade ago.

The Bees

After a quick check to make sure the queens got a warm welcome, I left the hives to do their thing with minimal disruptions.

• Feeders got a weekly refill.
• Those commercial pollen patties, which the bees completely ignored, were given the boot.
• All queens got a royal acceptance.
• The bees swiftly took over 5 central frames.
• And voilà, perfect small cell size comb was born.

Despite the dry spell, there was plenty of early spring forage. Sadly, the weather played hard to get, being all cold and windy, seriously cramping the bees’ flight style in May.

Small Cell

Now, the real buzz begins:

• How will the bees tackle drawing out small cell comb when they have no other choice?
• Will comb spacing be the real game-changer?

Old Disease

No sign of that ccd stuff. Has it vanished? Fingers crossed. Even though these bees are thriving and healthy, it’s a tad too early to declare victory over the slow-motion ccd. These little wonders are bursting with life and joy, making me forget about disease worries. It’s so darn great to be back in the bee game!

Here’s to the bees and the joy they bring! ✨

-Cheers, D 🍂🐝