Embarking on your beekeeping journey can be a thrilling experience, especially when you’re just starting out. One of the first decisions you’ll need to make is choosing between plastic and wooden beekeeping frames. Feeling a bit overwhelmed? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!
When it comes to selecting the material for your beehive’s frame, you have two main options: plastic and wood. Wooden frames offer a natural and traditional home for your bees, while plastic frames represent a modern approach. Neither is superior to the other, but it’s crucial for you, as the beekeeper, to make an informed decision based on your specific needs.
Choosing the right frames for your hives is just one of the many decisions you’ll need to make as a beekeeper. Whether you’re setting up your first hive or looking to upgrade your existing ones, we’re here to guide you through the process. Let’s dive into the world of beehive frames, starting with the basics.
The Importance of Replacing Your Beekeeping Frames
If you’ve been losing your honey bee colony each year, you might be wondering whether plastic or wooden beehive frames are the best choice. This is a common issue, and the solution could be as simple as changing your frames and foundation. After all, your beehive frames are the backbone of a healthy hive.
There are two types of frames and foundations in your hives. Firstly, there are the year-round frames and foundations found in the brood box (deep super) and then the medium super used for winter feeding of your colony. In colder regions, a deep super or two medium supers provide and feed the colony during the long winter months.
Secondly, honey supers can come in all three sizes (deep, medium, and shallow.) These specific frames are used for no more than four months out of the year and are then stored in a dry room until the next year.
When it comes to your year-round frames and foundation, these materials see a lot of traffic during your average season. This is because the worker bees are busy storing nectar and pollen inside these foundation cells. They also deposit propolis around the frame.
It’s important to note that when your honey bees forage for nectar and pollen, they may encounter traces of harmful man-made chemicals. The silver lining is that these traces won’t harm the foraging honey bee as they transport the honey or pollen back to the hive.
However, over time, these traces of chemicals accumulate on the comb, and after about five years, they can create a toxic environment inside the hives.
When to Replace Your Beekeeping Frames
A good rule of thumb is to start replacing your frames and foundation in the fourth year, replacing only half of the frames at a time. It’s a good idea to checkerboard your frames, meaning you replace every other frame. By checkerboarding, your colony won’t be stressed out when they notice that their frames have no wax left.
