Wiring In Foundation
Arbeiten am Bienenstand
Frames are strung with wire and foundation is fixed onto it, so the bees build straight, load-bearing comb and the combs later survive extraction.
Frames are strung with wire and foundation is fixed onto it, so the bees build straight, load-bearing comb and the combs later survive extraction.
The wire is pulled taut in several runs. With an embedding transformer it is briefly heated until it sinks cleanly into the wax. Held too long, it cuts through; too short, it does not hold. Without electricity it can be done with a spur or grooving wheel, which does not heat the wire but presses it into the wax. The foundation is fitted at the bottom of the frame; the bees close the gap at the top themselves.
Work is done hand-warm: cold wax breaks, and foundation embedded too cold will later buckle in the warm colony. Store the finished frames hanging in a box, not stacked flat, otherwise they warp.