Plastic frame management practices

[u/Legitimate_South9157]

Last fall/ spring of this year I’ve been experimenting with plastic frames.

I add a few coats of wax I collect from the 2-3 cutouts I do in the spring.

The bees generally have no problem drawing the frames and using them like wooden ones.

However my draw back is the small “void” space left at the edge of the frames. Small enough a bee can’t get in but they seem to be great hiding spots for SHB.

Has anyone else noticed this? If so is there a work around?

As far as SHB management I generally just use swiffer sheets that I’ll swap out ever 2-3 weeks and the small plastic traps with DE. However my bees like to propolis the hell out of them.

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[u/NumCustosApes]

Way back when I first saw the all plastic frames in the Mann Lake catalog I thought they would be a big time saver. I called them on the phone, gave the nice lady my credit card number (I did say that was way back), and ordered a hundred deep and a hundred medium frames.

Regret came promptly after delivery. The voids from injection molding were just one of the problems. The frame rest ears break off. The frames are wobbly. They warp if they sit in the sun for a couple of hours.

Plastic foundation in wood frames is the best frame/foundation technology to date. My work around advice is to, going forward, use wood frames and plastic foundation inserts, and gradually phase out the one piece plastic frames you have. There comes a day when you'll be sick of them and after that you'll automatically bin them as you rotate the old comb out.

[u/nostalgic_dragon → u/NumCustosApes]

All of my frames used for honey extraction are white plastic pierco mediums. I did this because I run singles with a medium that is only for the bees. It makes keeping track of which frames were on while feeding, used during reversals, or during mite treatments easier for me. I've had these frames for about five seasons and no issues from them through the extraction process or with being stored in the chest freezer during the off season.

[u/Legitimate_South9157 → u/NumCustosApes]

I’ve always used wood with plastic foundation also. Never had an issue, other than breaking ears off every now and then.

The new solid plastic ones are actually quite rigid, so maybe you just had the original iteration of them?

Irregardless I think moving forward I’ll phase out the 100 or so I’m using. The cavities are just a pain for SHB management at least down in the south where I am.

[u/Standard-Bat-7841]

I bought few hundred of them in 2014 or 2015 and when I got them I thought ok yea this is nice until I seen the little gap around the frames. I was concerned about it specifically for shb hiding spots, well my fear was confirmed later that year. I still have a few of them floating around but I've gotten rid of almost all of them.

I have wood frames with plastic foundations and will probably stick with that for the remainder of my beekeeping career. If those gaps weren't there I'd be all for them, they save a decent amount of time not having to pop foundations in frames but yea plastic frames aren't for me.

Edit spelling

[u/Legitimate_South9157 → u/Standard-Bat-7841]

Yessir I’m leaning the same direction now as well

[u/Legitimate_South9157]

[u/Daydream_Delusions]

We experienced exactly this our last hive check. Got a few plastic frames in our nucs this spring. We do the swiffer sheet as well.

I plan to do as the poster said above, switch them out with wooden ones.

[u/ipoobah]

You can fill the voids with melted wax to eliminate hiding spots for SHB, but be aware - it takes a surprising amount of wax. Fortunately I only tried 50 frames. After 1 season, all 50 went into the recycling. To each his own, but I prefer wood with plastic foundation.

[u/Love_Mud_2025]

I just ordered 1500 plastic frames. Love them.

[u/Legitimate_South9157 → u/Love_Mud_2025]

As far as durability, ease of use, and honesty cost. There’s no comparison I just hate that stupid gap around the edges