I'm yet another first year beekeeper who lost their hive, but I'm not sure what to do with the used frames. I'm assuming that I'll have to clean up the ones with the dead larvae in them, but can I reuse the ones from the top super that were all honey to give the new bees a head start? Will they accept it? Or should I just harvest that honey? Also, I'm thinking of taking the plastic cells out and going frameless this time around, so any advice on that area? Also any tips on cleaning up the frames, thinking that's going to be a messy job. Thanks!
Suzann
FYI I think my mistake last fall was overventing (I was paranoid I would not vent it enough and overcompensated)
The easiest way to clean them is do nothing. The new bees will do a much better job then you can. Just dump them in the hive and let'em work.
I think many newbees are losing hives from over ventilating. It is totally over-hyped on the internet, in my opinion.
Quote from: iddee on March 18, 2011, 05:16:26 PM
I think many newbees are losing hives from over ventilating. It is totally over-hyped on the internet, in my opinion.
You are really right in that. Why to keep more ventilation during winter than in summer!
Suzyq, where are you located at besides lost? What did you do to the hive to over vent? And with the frames, let the bees do it. They will polish and shine just fine.
Quote from: iddee on March 18, 2011, 05:16:26 PM
I think many newbees are losing hives from over ventilating. It is totally over-hyped on the internet, in my opinion.
You bet.
BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)
By frameless you certainly mean foundationless. I would not put 10 foundationless in a body but alternate drawn with fndtless. THat will help them draw with guides on ea. sides. Then as they draw, you can remove your plastic frames and place new fdtnless; they'll have the newly drawn ones as guides.
Also dont do too many in a year, it may be asking much of their resources. Let them also build up some store for winter. A third of your frames maybe each year (a little less in first year from a pkge, more the following year)
Suzyq, I also am interested in what you did that was too much ventilation. I THINK I had too little this year and killed my bees. My dead hives ended up with very damp, ice covered, and in some cases sticky (my sugar block dissolved back into syrup in places and dripped on the bees) dead bees. I don't want to go overboard and kill the next batch next Winter by going too far the OTHER way. My hives this Winter had entrance reducer on smallest opening and hives tipped to take off condensation. I thought I had my telescoping covers in the open position, but now am doubting myself. I had two live hives out of 5 when I did a quick check late Winter, found the problem, and added a popsicle stick shim to the last two hives. Thought I had killed those too, but on the first 60 degree day there were bees coming and going on one. Either it is alive, or was being robbed of remnants.
JC
Thank you for all the helpful posts!
So just to double check, the new bees will clean out all the dead old ones? (I did brush out what I could when I moved the hive recently, but there are some half in the combs and some larvae as well) I'll leave them the honey from the last crop too.
To answer the over venting question, I slid the top super a little so there was a crack opening between them, and I think the opening in the bottom was too big. Also, I wasn't crazy about the placement of the hive itself, it didn't get enough direct sun in the morning, so we moved it this spring to get ready for a new batch, so hopefully they'll thrive more this summer than the last batch, and be better prepared for next winter.
Thank you again!
"So just to double check, the new bees will clean out all the dead old ones?"
YES
Venting in the winter--- depends on where you live. I run screen bottom boards here in the south and do not close them in the winter. In a colder climate I am sure this would not be true.
Update you profile with a location -- it often helps get answers from beekeepers in your geographic location.
In particular relating to weather and area bee forage etc.