What to do with comb from dead hives?

Started by HomeBru, June 11, 2011, 10:52:33 AM

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HomeBru

June 11, 2011, 10:52:33 AM
Not going to completely toss in the hat, but after spending almost $600 over the last two years for two pints of honey, I'm not buying any more bees this year. I have comb from the last hive that died over winter: three mediums full of pollen, a bit of honey, and dead brood and two mediums full of honey/stored syrup. Is it possible to store this in the barn for a year or do I need to toss it?

J-

schawee

#1
June 11, 2011, 11:30:14 AM
i would toss it .some problems you can run into would be mold ,bugs ,ants and waxmoth.      ...schawee
BEEKEEPER OF THE SWAMP

JP

#2
June 11, 2011, 12:12:31 PM
If you can rule out disease that could transfer to other hives I would suggest as the number one choice to freeze those frames. If you can't freeze them you will have to take precautions or suffer the wrath of wax moths, mice, etc...


...JP
My Youtube page is titled JPthebeeman with hundreds of educational & entertaining videos.

My website JPthebeeman.com http://jpthebeeman.com

AliciaH

#3
June 11, 2011, 12:43:39 PM
Ditto the freezing, if you have the room (and like JP said, if disease free).  When you're ready to try again you'll be that far ahead with drawn comb and some stores for the new girls.  Starting over is hard enough.  Starting over from scratch is depressing.

Sorry for your frustration, though.  I hope you get more bees next year and give it another go!

hardwood

#4
June 11, 2011, 09:24:33 PM
You should definitely send it to me :)

Scott
"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag...We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...And we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."

Theodore Roosevelt 1907

AllenF

#5
June 11, 2011, 10:34:23 PM
Put bees on those frames.

vmmartin

#6
June 12, 2011, 08:50:59 AM
I'm with Allen.  Go find you some swarms or a cut out.  The bees are much better at taking care of that comb than you are. I know your frustration.  I think that just about every beekeeeper has been frustrated at one point or another.  I bought bees one time and they absconded in less than 9 months.  I may bear some of the responsibility in their decision, (the little rascals did not tell me why they were leaving). Anyway my point is that I like swarms and cut outs because those bees are survivors. Tell your friends and neighbors that you are looking for bees and I bet you get some calls pretty quick.
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