If you've been around the beekeeping world for a bit, you've most likely heard someone point out acorn bee foundation being a game-changer for their urticaria. It's one of those topics that will gets people speaking at local membership meetings, mostly since the transition from traditional wax in order to plastic can be a bit of a hurdle for some folks. I actually remember when I first started out, I was adamant about using 100% natural wax sheets. I thought, "Hey, the bees make wax, so exactly why give them everything else? " But after a few seasons associated with dealing with "blowouts" in the extractor and foundation that sagged in the summer heat, I actually decided to see exactly what all the fuss was about with Acorn's products.
The particular reality of modern beekeeping is that will we're often looking for a balance between what the particular bees like plus what makes our lives as beekeepers just a little less chaotic. That's where the acorn bee foundation really steps in. It's not only "another plastic sheet. " There's some real thought put in the cell depth and the way the wax is used, which makes the massive difference in how quickly the particular bees actually take to it.
Why the Wax Coating Matters A lot
The biggest complaint people generally have with plastic foundation is that the bees simply won't contact it. You'll hear stories of bees building "burr comb" or "crazy comb" everywhere except on the plastic sheet you simply covered. Usually, that's because the wax coating around the plastic is usually too thin. It smells like a factory instead associated with a hive.
What I've observed with acorn bee foundation will be that they don't unintentionally avoid the coating. They provide different amounts, like their "extra heavy" wax option, which is a lifesaver. When you crack open up a box associated with these, you may actually smell the beeswax. That fragrance is the "green light" for the particular worker bees. These people perceive it since a natural expansion of the beehive rather than a foreign object. In case the coating will be thick enough, the particular bees can actually move that wax around to start building the cell walls, instead of having to produce every single flake of wax from their own bodies right apart. It gives them a massive mind start, especially throughout a heavy nectar flow.
Strength and the "Blowout" Problem
If you've ever attempted to extract sweetie from a delicate, hand-wired wax body, you know the particular anxiety of turning the handle on the extractor. In case you go too fast, the whole brush can just fail or "blow out" against the cage. It's heartbreaking to notice a beautiful part of comb that the bees worked all summer on just disintegrate into a sticky mess of wires and mush.
Using a strong acorn bee foundation basically removes that stress. Given that the base is really a high-quality, food-grade plastic, it can handle the centrifugal pressure of the extractor with out flinching. You may really fire up the speed to get every last fall of honey out there, as well as the foundation remains perfectly intact. This particular also means a person can reuse the same frames year after year. Once the darling is gone, you just put the frame in the hive, plus the bees clear it up and start over. It's a huge time-saver for them and also a money-saver for you.
The Ease of Beehive Inspections
Let's talk about inspections for a second. We've all been there—trying to pull the frame out associated with a crowded heavy box, and mainly because the wax was a bit soft or the bees built some wonky bridge comb, the whole thing begins to twist or rip. It makes the bees grumpy, and it makes the beekeeper nervous.
Due to the fact acorn bee foundation is rigid, the frames stay square. They don't warp with time, also if you're beekeeping in a place in which the summers are usually brutal. Having that structural integrity indicates that when you're prying frames aside with your beehive tool, you're more unlikely to accidentally crush the queen or even roll bees. The particular consistency of the particular cell size furthermore helps keep your family pattern looking neat, which makes it way easier to spot eggs or even identify issues like European Foulbrood or mites.
Choosing the Right Cellular Size
One particular thing you'll see when looking at acorn bee foundation is that will they offer various cell sizes. Most people stick along with the typical 5. 4mm, which is the "industry standard" for darling bees. However, there's been a great deal of chatter recently about small-cell beekeeping (around 4. 9mm) as a way to naturally handle Varroa mite populations.
The idea is that smaller tissues lead to a shorter developmental period for the bees, which messes with the particular mite's reproductive cycle. While the science is still debated in certain circles, it's cool that businesses like Acorn provide you the option to experiment. Being capable to choose your own cell size whilst keeping the benefits of a plastic base is definitely a nice benefit that you don't always get along with every brand.
Colours for Different Jobs
This might seem such as a small detail, but the color of your own acorn bee foundation actually issues quite a little bit for your day-to-day management. Most beekeepers prefer black foundation with regard to their brood boxes. Why? Because it's a million times easier to observe those tiny, rice-like eggs against the dark background. In the event that you're using whitened or light yellowish foundation in the brood nest, you're going to become squinting in the sun trying to puzzle out if your queen is usually laying.
On the other hand, white foundation is great for honey supers. It looks cleaner, also it helps you determine the clarity and color of the sweetie since the bees are usually capping it. Acorn makes both, and I've found that will sticking to this "black for brood, whitened for honey" guideline makes my existence a lot simpler throughout the busy time of year.
Dealing along with Cold Snap Problems
One small tip if you're using acorn bee foundation : do not keep them out within the freezing cool and then fall them. While they're incredibly tough, plastic material can get a bit brittle in sub-zero temperatures. I discovered this the hard way after leaving a stack in my unheated shed and unintentionally knocking them over in January. These people didn't shatter into a million pieces, but I do get a couple associated with cracks.
Ideally, you want to keep them at space temperature before you go to click them into the structures. It makes the plastic more flexible and way easier in order to use. Plus, the bees are going to appreciate the frame that isn't freezing cold whenever it's introduced to the hive.
Long-Term Sustainability and Cleaning
Some purists argue that plastic material isn't "natural, " and am get that will. But from a sustainability standpoint, there's an argument to be made for issues that last. A single sheet of acorn bee foundation can actually last a 10 years or more if a person take care of it. When the comb gets older, dark, and complete of "cocoons" from years of family rearing, you don't have to throw the particular whole thing apart.
You may simply scrape the old wax away from down to the plastic base, give it a quick pressure wash or even a dip within some warm (not boiling! ) soapy water, and after that roll on the fresh layer of beeswax. It's like hitting the reset button on your frames without getting to buy fresh materials. Most of the commercial guys do this since it's the just way to help keep expenses down, but it works just as properly for someone along with only two urticaria within the backyard.
Conclusions on Producing the Switch
If you're within the fence about trying acorn bee foundation , my advice is usually to just grab a 10-pack and find out how your bees react. Every nest has its own "personality"—some are picky, and several will construct on anything. But in my expertise, as long since there's a great nectar flow happening plus you've got a decent wax coating on that foundation, the bees will go to work.
It's one of those tools that takes a bit of the "fiddliness" out of beekeeping. You spend much less time fixing damaged wax and much more time actually observing your bees and experiencing the hobby. In the end of the day, we're all just attempting to keep the hives healthy plus maybe get the little honey intended for our morning toast. If a much better foundation helps obtain us there along with fewer headaches, I'm all for this. Don't be afraid to mix plus match until a person find what works for your specific climate and your own specific bees. Right after all, half the fun of beekeeping will be the constant tinkering and learning.