Package install in virgin hardware... offer them wax, too?

[CpnObvious]

In Blue's post: http://www.worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/index.php/topic,1739.0/topicseen.html I see some of a wax foundation sheet on top of the frames...  I assume the was just used as a lure to help keep them there?  But seeing that prompted me to wonder:

"Would it be beneficial to my new packages to give them some plain wax foundation like that (or in smaller pieces) so they can break it down and re-use it to build their own new comb on the virgin foundation they're starting off with?"

[blueblood]

Ha! Sorry, the weight of the swarm pulled the wax down!  It was old "N" style I had in a frame I randomly placed in there.  I always put some blank foundation or foundation-less in to give them "purpose."  I think the swarm stays in one place because of the mass of bees already there and of course the queen. 

[riverbee]

"Would it be beneficial to my new packages to give them some plain wax foundation like that (or in smaller pieces) so they can break it down and re-use it to build their own new comb on the virgin foundation they're starting off with?"

no, bees won't re-purpose it and won't use it to build comb from it.

[tbonekel]

I just laid out a bunch of comb from a cut out that had some honey, pollen etc.. The bees cleaned out the sweet stuff, but didn't reuse anything else. Your virgin hardware won't stay that way long. They will quickly begin drawing wax.

[pistolpete]

They are quite happy to re-shape wax that's already there.   When you have an area of crushed comb for example, they warm it up and fix the cells with the wax that's there.  They will also use wax painted on plastic foundation to start the cell walls.   But they don't take wax move it around the hive.   scraps of wax get treated as refuse and tossed out the front door.