Plastic, Wax, Starter Strips Must See Part 3 

Looking forward to your video about wax boards in honey supers and how to get the bees to draw it out quicker!

I’m going to give starter strip a try. Been using plastic and don’t know if I’m crazy about it. Thanks.

Nice video Joe. I would love to see how u get your bees move up to draw the plastic out in the honey suppers.

I use all rite-cell foundation. when they don't have a choice they build it just as fast.

Joe, I did my own experiment last year with foundation and starter strips I don’t use plastic but my results were same as yours larger cells on outside worker in middle thanks for all you do regards from Dennis in NC

Again I say thank you for a fair demonstration. Many would enjoy your video on plastic being drawn out for honey. HBM

I try that last year. bees will draw like that. there's different from feral bee. feral bee never like plastic. foundation bee will draw foundation plastics. it also depend on the type of bees as well. bees love what they can build at the time n needs.

great info. what genetics are those girls? they are beautiful!!

Joe, thanks for the video. Please produce the video that you we’re speaking about on the bees drawing out the honey super frames and how to speed that process up. Getting the supers drawn out is what I struggle with the most.

Can’t wait for you to do the video on coaxing the bees up into the supers. Thanks for the info!

It goes faster because they can build both sides at once....

Joe you have proofed what bees prefer to draw on when given a choice. My question is if bees aren't given a choice does it make much difference. If you had 3 similar sized hives and added three frames of each type of frames would they show such a drastic difference as what you showed when they do have a choice. I think bees will do what they have to in order to expand. They enjoy starter strip is proven here. Thanks for your demonstration of the difference.

Got to love the starter strips. No muss, no fuss. You do a great job.

I'm not picking a fight but the first sign of cross comb on plastic foundation is an idication of improperly applied wax or insuffient wax. I run a mix of starter strips and plastic, and if plastic is properly waxed my bees will draw it first every single time without fail and hardly hang on the starter strips.

I use all starter strips in my brood boxes, in my experience they will draw it quicker. I do like to use plastic in my supers for extracting. Great video

I dont have any problem with plastic foundation they draw it as well as wax foundation .I dont use the starter strips as they dont hold together in the extractor.Good video though thanks.

I appreciate the informative videos, thanks Joe for making them.

Nice followup, thank you Joe.

So do you have a video on how you make up your frames with starter strips? I'd love to learn more on this topic

I do not like plastic and think a milk carton strip works best for a starter. Thank you for running this test and confirming my beliefs.

I have been using starter strips almost entirely for the last several years; Ill sometimes use foundation or drawn comb to give the bees a vertical line to reference off of. The critical thing that I found is to make sure your hive is level from side to side. Bees draw vertically with the line of gravity (most of the time) and I have a lot less trouble with crazy comb when the hive is level. Also, using starter strip if you are running 9 frames in a 10-frame box is a recipe for a mess. I cross-string mine with fishing line which gives some extra support and reduces (but does not eliminate) blow out if it is a honey frame. Joe, about those clips you use to hold your hives together: are they a commercial part of some sort or do you make them yourself? They seem pretty handy and much easier to deal with than staples, at least for light duty applications. Thanks for the video, Stu

Please talk about how to get comb drawn in summer and fall. Looking to make splits in 100 degree weather. I am in southwest TX. Middle of May temperature are 95 plus. Keep up the great videos.

New to the Channel... just found your channel.... just started beekeeping... just starting putting out some Bee Videos too...

My bees draw decent on the honey colored plastic, but the black plastic they draw just like this video....wax foundation does seem faster for me then plastic. However, this year I've not been able to keep up with the bees it's been such a busy season...

The Proof is in the pudding! Thanks for sharing.

Joe just curious as to what those things are on the entrances of hive #77&79 ? Great video by the way. Those starter strips are the only way to go. Saves time,saves money and is more natural for the bees. Take care and God Bless.

Check out Steves outdoor world for wax jute string as starter and you can also use popsicle coated sticks or quart paint stir sticks. Thank Joe. You are a awesome asset to the world.

I would love to see a follow up on those styrofoam nukes you made last fall. Did they help? How did they hold up? Etc. Thanks Joe

Joe what do you use for your starter strip?