Foundationless and Natural Comb

Comb foundation is the thin sheet of beeswax, embossed on both sides with hexagonal cell bases, that the beekeeper fits into a frame and gives to the hive; books also call it wax foundation (foundation sheet, wax sheet). Bees build the cell walls on this sheet, creating comb that is straight, attached to the frame and can be moved when needed. On this page you will find what foundation does in the hive, when and where to give it, how to recognise good foundation, and common mistakes.

What is comb foundation, and why is it called “foundation”?

Beekeepers distinguish comb in the hive in three states: foundation (a wax sheet not yet worked by the bees), drawn comb (comb on which the bees have raised the cell walls and which can hold brood or honey) and natural comb that bees build on their own without any guide. The word “foundation” conveys that the sheet is only a starting surface: it carries the shape of the cell bases and the first few millimetres of the walls, and the bees complete the rest with wax they secrete themselves.

Worker bees secrete wax as thin scales from the wax glands on the underside of their abdomen. Building an entire comb from scratch requires both the labour of many young bees and a considerable amount of energy from honey and nectar. Foundation offers the bees part of this load as ready-made wax and, most importantly, determines where the comb will be built and at what cell size.

What is comb foundation used for?

The whole advantage of the modern movable-frame hive depends on combs staying independent of each other, flat and within the frame. Foundation is the basic component that makes this possible.

• Straight comb attached to the frame: Bees build by following the sheet; the comb does not spill outside the frame or fuse to the neighbouring comb. Frames can therefore be removed easily during inspection, moved around and given to another hive.
• Control of the proportion of worker cells: Standard foundation is embossed with a worker cell pattern. Colonies left to themselves, especially in times of plentiful food, build far more drone cells.
• Saving labour and energy: Using a ready-made wax base speeds up comb building; a strong colony can draw out a sheet of foundation in a few days during a flow.
• Strength for extraction: Honey comb built on wired foundation withstands the centrifugal force of the extractor and transport much better.
• Comb renewal: Regularly giving foundation in place of old combs that have darkened and built up residues over the years is one of the most effective ways of keeping the hive hygienic.

When should foundation be given to the hive?

Bees do not always draw out foundation. Wax secretion depends on the colony having enough young worker bees (bees about two to three weeks old, whose wax glands are most active), on sugary food coming in from a nectar flow or from the beekeeper's feeding, and on the temperature inside the hive.

• Best period: In spring while the colony is growing rapidly, and from the beginning to the middle of the main nectar flow. Foundation given at this time is drawn quickly and evenly.
• Swarms and splits: Swarms are very ready to secrete wax; giving frames of foundation to a hive in which a swarm is housed is very productive. Splits, however, need support through feeding.
• No flow: If there is no nectar and no feeding, bees will not draw the sheet and may even chew holes in it.
• Autumn and winter: Foundation is not given going into winter. An undrawn sheet splits the cluster, creates a cold surface and leaves empty space in the colony.

Where should a frame of foundation go in the hive?

The right position is at least as important as timing for foundation to be drawn quickly and evenly. General rule: place the sheet in the warm area where bees are dense, but without splitting the brood nest in two.

1. In the brood box: Put the frame of foundation at the edge of the brood area, between the last brood frame and a honey-pollen frame. In strong colonies, placing it between two drawn combs speeds up building.
2. Do not put it in the middle of the brood nest: In a weak or medium-strength colony, splitting the brood area in two can chill the brood on cool nights.
3. In the super: When the flow starts, frames of foundation can be alternated with drawn frames in the super. In the super, bees usually draw the sheet while filling it directly with honey.
4. Quantity: Give 1–2 frames at a time; add more as the colony draws and fills them. Giving many sheets at once scatters the bees and leads to crooked comb.
5. Check: Look again after a week. If building has not started, reassess feeding, colony strength and the position of the frame.

How is foundation fitted into a frame?

Whether foundation works in the hive depends on it being fitted correctly in the frame. Details are on the “Frame Wires and Wiring” and “Wax Foundation” pages; here is a short summary:

• Wiring: Stainless wire is strung through the holes in the side bars of the frame. The wire must be taut; slack wire does not support the sheet.
• Fixing to the top bar: The top edge of the sheet is clamped into the groove in the top bar or under the wedge strip, or glued with molten wax.
• Embedding the wire: The wire is embedded in the wax with an electric embedder or a spur wheel; merely letting the wire touch the sheet is not enough.
• Bottom gap: A gap of a few millimetres should be left between the bottom edge of the sheet and the bottom bar. Wax stretches a little in the heat; a sheet resting on the bottom bar will buckle.
• Room temperature: Cold wax is brittle. Fit the sheets while working in a warm room.

How do you recognise good foundation?

The quality of foundation determines the quality of the comb that will stay in the colony for years. When buying, or when having your own wax processed, look at the following:

• Pure beeswax: The sheet should be made only of beeswax. It has a pleasant, light honey-and-wax smell; it bends in a warm hand and breaks in the cold.
• Clear pattern: The cell bases and wall starts should be embossed sharply and evenly; a squashed, skewed pattern leads to crooked comb.
• Correct cell size: Sheets with worker cell size are used for the brood box.
• Wax of known origin: Be wary of very cheap sheets when you do not know who made them or from what wax.

Is a foundationless frame an alternative?

Some beekeepers put only a thin strip of wax or a wooden guide on the top bar instead of foundation, leaving the rest of the comb to the bees. This is called a foundationless frame (starter-strip frame). This method lets the bees choose their own cell size and eliminates the input of outside wax (and therefore outside residues).

However, the foundationless frame is an alternative, not a standard replacement for foundation. The comb built is more fragile and breaks up easily in the extractor; if the hive is not level it may be built crooked, and the proportion of drone cells usually increases. Anyone wanting to try foundationless frames should place them between two well-drawn combs.

Common mistakes with comb foundation

• Slack or unembedded wire: The sheet sags in the heat, producing wavy, crooked comb.
• Giving it at the wrong time: Foundation given during a dearth without feeding, or going into winter, is not drawn and gets chewed.
• Giving many sheets at once: A weak colony cannot fill that much space; the brood nest becomes scattered.
• Leaving gaps in the hive: In hives with missing frames, bees build burr comb in the empty space.
• Storing it in a damp, warm place: Foundation should be stored flat in a cool, dry, dark place, stacked between sheets of paper, and protected from wax moth. The whitish layer that forms on the surface over time (wax bloom) is harmless.