Foundationless Bee Frames

You can buy foundationless frames with an edge built into the top bar.

Foundationless bee frames.

But with this bee freedom comes challenges for the beekeeper in the form of cross comb. Kelley with no grooves in the top and bottom bars and cutting the top bars at a 45 degree angle on both sides. Groove top because it s one less step to not remove and attach the wedge to the top bar. Langstroth has pictures of this design in the original langstroth s hive and the honey bee which you can still buy as a reprint.

This might be because their hive is already established with the brood nest already built out or because they are first time beekeepers worried about jumping right into foundationless beekeeping but either way it s a bad idea. The general principle is that you build standard brood frames reinforced with horizontal wires or fishing line containing only a narrow starter strip of foundation. Bees have the freedom to build the size cells they need and are not exposed to the chemicals commonly associated with wax coated foundation. Foundationless frames allow bees to build comb any way they like.

We prefer medium sized grooved top bars and solid bottom bars for foundationless frames like this. The bees tend to follow the sloped top bar. Foundation frames refer to frames that include a sheet of plastic or wax stamped with a honeycomb shape while foundationless frames are just a top bar and may include a comb guide to help the bees get started. A discussion on the scottish beekeepers forums last year and the price of foundation prompted me to try foundationless frames.