Frame Cleaning

[Shep1478]

Hey Gang.. Okay, I'm over the loss of my hives.

I'm in the process of getting things ready for the new bees I have coming from Don.  One question I have is how to get the dead (starved) bees out of the cells? 90% are head 1st in, and in deep! How to I clean them out to the point I can still use the existing, built out foundations?

Many thanks in advance!

Jim

[Grid]

It sounds like the bees died of starvation, not disease.  Let the new bees clean up - they're really good at it.  :)

Grid.

[D Coates]

Make sure the hive stays dry and the dead bees will desiccate in the cells.  Drop the package right in there (if it's 2 deeps drop it to 1) and they'll clean it up in VERY short order.  You'll do far more damage to drawn comb trying to clean it than what your labor is worth.

[specialkayme]

I've always found it easy to give the comb a couple of raps on the telescoping cover to knock all the dead bees out of the cells after a dead-out. There was a picture of someone doing the same thing in (I think) February's edition of Bee Culture.

It made me smile to think "I've been doing it right the whole time, and I didn't even know it!"

[AllenF]

Knock the loose ones out and let the new bees clean up the rest.  they know what they are doing and will do a better job at it.   Just keep everything dry until spring.

[Shep1478]

Thanks for the help!!