My two hives didn't make it (too many mites, I suspect), so I'll be starting over in April. My question is what should I do with the dozen or so frames I now have that are packed with pollen and/or uncapped honey/nectar? I'd like to re-use as much comb as I can to give my new packages a head start, but these frames don't have any "laying room" and I don't want to clog up the brood nest. I have enough "open" comb for the first story of what will become the brood chambers for my two new packages, but it's the second story that I will have trouble providing "open" comb for. Any advice on how I can get the comb cleaned up and ready for laying? Or if not that, make sure they don't go to waste?
Keep the combs in warm water two hours. It dilutes the syrup/honey.
Shake the sugar water off.
Save those which have good pollen store.
Keep the nuc warm. It helps build up. In the picture I have a terrarium heater.
When you start the new package, give them only that much frames as they can occupye.
One frame pollen, one honey and the rest 3-4 cleaned combs. Put extra wall into the box.
(http://bee.freesuperhost.com/yabbfiles/Attachments/tiny.jpg)
Finski gives good advice but I would add if you will not be using them for a while, after cleaning you could store them in a freezer or spray them down with Certan http://www.beeworks.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=18 (http://www.beeworks.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=18)
to keep wax moths at bay.
...JP