Question about letting bees clean wax

[Dallasbeek]

Our temps are in the 60s during the day now and I have some cappings that need cleaning.  Should I put them out for the bees to clean, or will this put stress on the bees?  Should these over-wintering bees just be allowed to cluster, or is it okay for them to do some work and bring some honey back to the hive?

[iddee]

Put it more than 100 ft. from the nearest hive. It will do them good if it doesn't start robbing. If far enough away, it won't.

[BeeMaster2]

x2. 100 feet will be far enough. At that distance all of our bees give distance and bearing information which helps minimize robbing.
Jim

[jayj200]

Know where it came from?
no pesticides
no K wing virus or AFB or EFB
ok

[Dallasbeek]

Wax came from good relatvely new frames and foundation.  Actually, I crushed and strained, so it's more than cappings.  I'm planning to go foundationless.  The bees are all over the wax now.  Funny thing is i've seen some fighting -- two bees biting the legs of another bee -- several times.  Able to get real close to watch them and look for varroa mites.  I've only seen one.  When a bee gets away from the ones biting it, it flies away.

[iddee]

If you have 2 hives, there will be a small bit of fighting. If you have several hives, the fighting should stop when 4 or more hives find the cappings.

[Dallasbeek]

Thanks, Iddee.  A friend two blocks away has 3 hives, so they should be joining the feast in a day or so, if it lasts that long.  They're doing a good job of cleaning it up.  The wax is getting lighter around the edges of the pile.  Seems like some are wrestling with bits of wax, like they're tring to carry it home.  Do they salvage bits of wax?

[iddee]

Sometimes, but not in large amounts.

[BeeMaster2]

Bee sure to have the container on its side. Bees will get trapped and die in an upright container. Even a super that is upright with no exit at the bottom will trap and kill bees that are robbing honey.
Jim

[rdy-b]

**Should I put them out for the bees to clean, or will this put stress on the bees?  Should these over-wintering bees just be allowed to cluster, or is it okay for them to do some work and bring some honey back to the hive?**

this question has a lot of different directions--first If the bees are flying you are not stressing them one bit-
second your temps are far above winter cluster mode--third -by all means let them bring in every opportunity
of a meal for winter stores--lots of good advice from above posts on methods and means--RDY-B

[Dallasbeek]

Thanks, everone.  The bees have definitely been cleaning it up.  They've got it almost dry.