Cappings Question - Wax Melter

Started by mgmoore7, May 26, 2008, 09:55:13 PM

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mgmoore7

1st - Are the cappings beeswax or something else that the bees make?

2nd - I let the bees clean a tub of cappings but it ended up having lots of dead bees and I saw some adult moth fly out of it a time or two.  If I get around to making a solar wax melter, will the dead bees be and issue and what if the moths laid in the wax?

Currently, the cappings are in the freezer in the plastic bag. 

Thanks. 

Michael Bush

>1st - Are the cappings beeswax or something else that the bees make?

Honey cappings are beeswax.  Brood cappings are a mixture of beeswax and old cocoons.  I'm not sure what they use for the first batch with a new swarm, but the brood cappings are always papery and permeable.

>2nd - I let the bees clean a tub of cappings but it ended up having lots of dead bees and I saw some adult moth fly out of it a time or two.  If I get around to making a solar wax melter, will the dead bees be and issue

They will end up on the bottom of or in the wax.  You'll need to filter them out.

> and what if the moths laid in the wax?

Melting it should take care of that.

My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
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mgmoore7