Do You Really Need A Foundation Comb?

Like any form of art, different people have their own preferences and approaches when it comes to beekeeping. With new products coming up every day, it has become technically easier for a new beekeeper to set up his own apiary to collect honey or just to pursue beekeeping as a hobby. However, experienced beekeepers prefer more natural and difficult ways to the entire process. Going with foundation or foundationless frames is one such important decision that you have to take when you are setting up your own apiary.

Foundation vs. Foundationless Frames

Almost every apiary consists of multiple frames that are kept in place for the hives to form. Frames are usually rectangular shapes generally made out of wood. Though frames are quite common, having foundations on them is a choice left up to the beekeeper. What are the foundations? They are a thin flat layer that fit on the rectangular shape of the frame. These foundations usually have hexagonal cell shapes imprinted on them that help the bees to build the hives around it. They are made out of either plastic or wood. Most beekeepers prefer wood foundations as they are a more natural approach. However, plastic foundations have a longer life and can be reused easily. To help the bees get started, the plastic foundations are usually coated with beeswax and some chemicals to ward off pests and infections.

Are Foundations Really Required for Beekeeping?

This question is left up to the preferences of the beekeeper. However, read this article to understand the main differences between foundations and foundationless beekeeping.

1.    Cross combs- This is one of the main disadvantages of using frames without foundation. Ideally, we would like the bees to build neat, parallel lines of hives with space between the frames. However, when there is no foundation, the hives start getting built in an uncontrolled manner, eventually reaching out to other frames causing cross combs. This can make inspection almost impossible to do. At the same time, there are high chances of the frames and hives collapsing during the inspection when there are cross combs.

2.    The cell size of the hives- When using foundations, the cell size that you want from your beehives can be chosen according to your preference. You can use foundations with large cell sizes or smaller ones which have varying benefits. However, when using a foundationless frame, the bees build the beehives with cell sizes that they need. For example, drone cells are usually smaller when compared to the other cells used for storing honey. Foundationless frames are a natural approach in this instance as the bees can build the hives as per their requirements leading to a more efficient colony.

3.    Chemicals and pesticides- When it comes to foundations, they are usually coated with harmful chemicals and wax to get the hives started. Overexposing the colonies to chemicals may not always be the best solution.

It is clear that both approaches have their own pros and cons. How to take the best of both worlds? You can use a combination of foundation and foundationless frames that can make your colony more efficient.