I would like to store a few deep frames filled with honey, perhaps temporarily, while I put un-drawn frames/foundation into the brood box to remedy my current honey-bound state, and allow more room for the soon to bee new queen to lay.
How/where should I store these frames? In the freezer? In a tote in a cool place?
My current situation is outlined here:
http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,16499.0.html (http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,16499.0.html)
This is my only hive, and it is packed with honey...about 17 deep frames filled....no pollen, no eggs, brood, etc. As far as I can tell, no queen.
I just received my replacement queen an hour ago, and during my lunch break, I will put her/cage in the hive and let her be for a couple of days, then try to release her.
I would like to keep the frames filled with honey incase I need to feed them back into the hive this fall....is this a good practice? Or should I just remove a few and harvest the honey?
I always appreciate your advice.
--Steve
he freezer is the best place if you have the room.
freezer, but put wax paper between the frames. if you don't, they might leak when you pull them apart and thaw.
plan on leaving the queen caged for more than a couple of days. if it's a cage with candy and they eat her out, that's great. if it's not, let her stay in the cage for 4 or 5 days. as long as they have access to her through a screen, they will care for her. replacement queens are tricky. i think all of us have had the frustration of buying a queen and losing her. the only thing that i have found that helps, is to not release to soon.
A new freezer is in the budget for this year, so I guess this just pushes it to the front burner. Our current small chest freezer is at capacity, and I will be needing to find space for the 25 broiler chickens that will I will be dispatching this weekend...not to mention the 8 turkeys in a couple of months. I better start looking.
Thanks for the advice, randydrivesabus and kathyp. I was wondering if I should put something between the frames for protection. I was thinking of (if I can make the space) using my nuc box as a storage box in the freezer as added protection.
I will wait the 4-5 days instead of a couple....I sure hope they take to this new queen.
--Steve