I'm new to this forum and it's really awesome so everyone get ready for newbie questions. I starting beekeeping last year with one hive. They didn't make it and I think I know what I did wrong. I'm going to try again, but without really doing anything to the hive, I put it in my shed. Today was a nice day and I saw a few visiting bees out amongst the dandelions (sp). I decided to take my hive out of the shed. I set it on the ground. It wasn't long before there were thousands of bees swarming around the hive. I know that there was some honey stored in some of the frames that my bees didn't eat. I'm guessing these are just hungry bees looking for food and it's too early for a swarm (I live in north Texas). Should I just let them have fun and clean up the frames or hope for something possibly good to come out of this.
If it is protected from wax moths, let them play in it. A swarm will most likely take up in it within a couple months.
I would worry about them moths.
Right now my hive is two deep bodies. I was thinking about removing one and leaving the other on top of the bottom board. I have heard that by placing the frames in the freezer that would rid the frames of any wax moth infestation. Is that correct? If I did that, then placed the frames back in the body, everything should be cool and then I won't have to worry about the moths, right? If that would work, how long do I leave the frames in the freezer?
That will only work until a moth flys by and lays more eggs. What you have read is for storing. Once frozen, they are sealed in plastic bags so no more eggs can be laid. In the open like that, you need bt.
Yes, you could cut it down to one box. I usually freeze mine for about 48 hours.
Now, the freezing will kill any moths, larva and eggs (if any) that are currently in the frames. It will not stop re-infestation when you put them back out with no bees. The only thing I know of that stops that is spraying the with BT after they are thawed and letting them dry. Do a search on Certan or BT to learn about that.