Contaminated hive

[Nett]

We have a hive that's been contaminated with SHB and we saw a few wax moths and it is queenless. We don't have any brood in this hive. We just got a new queen and would like to introduce her to the remaining bees(know how to do this already) but would like to do this in a completely new hive.

We already drenched around the hive with Guard Star and we're also moving to a concrete slab.

Questions:
Is there any saving it?
Can we put the remaining bees in a nuc temporarily? Need to do this because we don't have another bottom board and have to clean and sterilize it to reuse it.
If so how do we do it? I mean get the bees in the nuc.
If we freeze the frames of honey (need to do this to kill the moth larvae) can we put several of them in the new hive for the bees to feed on along with some new frames with foundation. We plan too feed sugar water too.
Thanks for your help.

[Bill W.]

Sure. I'd just shake/brush them into the nuc, install the queen and call it a day.

Remove a frame, brush off the bees, repeat until done.  I transferred a failing hive into a nuc this way just a couple days ago.  A little syrup spray wouldn't hurt to keep them from flying.

I did it in the evening after the few foragers had returned so that they would be less tempted to leave and I put a screen in the entrance to keep them from returning to the hive while I removed it.

Of course, you can't be sure you won't accidentally transfer some SHB eggs, but as I understand it, if you have enough bees to manage the available space, they should be able to take care of the larvae.

[Robo]

Moving them to a nuc is probably the be the best thing to do.  Since they are weak, reducing the area for them to maintain and patrol may be the only way for them to succeed.  Just make sure they have enough food, feed them if you have to.

Just put the nuc in the same spot you eventually want the hive. Then when they out grow the new you can just switch them into the full size hive.

good luck...


rob...

[Ross]

Rob is right.  The bees need to be crowded in whatever space they have to fight off SHB.  I would take the frames and freeze them then give them back to the bees in a nuc.