The Wax Foundation

A Bit About Bees and Wax

The wax foundation sheets provide the honey bee with a foundation of same size shaped comb as they would build themselves.

Without the wax foundation sheet absolutely NOTHING would change inside the hive as bees were building wax comb since long before we discovered honey!

Wax foundation sheets are usually supplied in either super frame size or brood frame size. In either case they require slightly different sized comb.

Despite this difference in comb size, many beekeepers make use of wax foundation sheets when starting a honey bee colony.

The most obvious benefit is that it speeds the building process for the honey bees but also provides a guide as to where to build in the frame.

Something to note at this point is that honey bees have built comb for centuries without any intervention by anything.

Langstroth bee hives are supplied with wax starter strips only to help ensure the bees build in the centre of the frame.

Wax foundation sheets or even wax starter strips do assist in attracting honey bee scouts to a potential catch box or empty bee hive. The scent is picked up during the heat of the day as the internal temperature of the bee hive heats up and causes beeswax scent to emanate from the hive.

I am not sure where this info came from, but I didnt write it and don't claim to.