Should I use used equipment?

[Duc Duck Doc]

Hi there! I'm brand new to beekeeping - 3 weeks into my first beekeeping class here in Chatham County, NC. I'm overwhelmed by the information available, most of which seems contradictory. A beekeeping friend who is winding down as he ages has offered me some of his medium boxes and inner/outer covers. Some sources say, "Run away! This can increase your chance of diseased bees!" (I'll quiz him attentively before receipt, just to be sure there's no known history of disease). One chap says, "Put the boxes in a deep freeze for x amount of time and you'll be fine".  A third fellow suggested fumigating them. I am torn between the allure of free stuff and the peril of potentially wiping out my bees and the emotional and financial investment that entails. Thanks!

[SiWolKe]

I would run.

[MikeyN.C.]

Yes be very careful.  Maybe someone in bee club could give you some info about this beekeeper.

[iddee]

Western Piedmont    Don Hopkins    (919) 218-3310
[email protected]

is your state bee inspector. He will pick up you used equipment and take it to Raleigh and have it fumigated, then return it to you. The charge is minimal. Contact him. He is a great asset, and a very friendly fellow. You will be glad you met him

[Live Oak]

Hi there! I'm brand new to beekeeping - 3 weeks into my first beekeeping class here in Chatham County, NC. I'm overwhelmed by the information available, most of which seems contradictory. A beekeeping friend who is winding down as he ages has offered me some of his medium boxes and inner/outer covers. Some sources say, "Run away! This can increase your chance of diseased bees!" (I'll quiz him attentively before receipt, just to be sure there's no known history of disease). One chap says, "Put the boxes in a deep freeze for x amount of time and you'll be fine".  A third fellow suggested fumigating them. I am torn between the allure of free stuff and the peril of potentially wiping out my bees and the emotional and financial investment that entails. Thanks!

IF you decide to go with the used equipment, the ONLY thing that will kill AFB is to wax dip the equipment at a temperature greater than 270 for at least 10 minutes,  I think I would shoot for 12 or just before the wood begins to darken. 

The simple answer is that it is usually NOT worth the risk to use used beekeeping equipment.  The chance of encountering AFB is probably not that high but other diseases can be carried and starting out with new woodware avoids the possibility.

[iddee]

""IF you decide to go with the used equipment, the ONLY thing that will kill AFB is to wax dip the equipment at a temperature greater than 270 for at least 10 minutes,  I think I would shoot for 12 or just before the wood begins to darken.""

That is totally INCORRECT.

NC has a gas chamber they will put your used equipment through and it will remove all AFB spores and any other problems it may be harboring. The cost is very nominal.

[Haveuseen1?]

How is this much different than getting a Nuc?  A nuc is used equipment.  Isnt it?

[SiWolKe]

How is this much different than getting a Nuc?  A nuc is used equipment.  Isnt it?

Totally different. Don?t place a new nuc into an established beeyard. Never do that without a health certificate from a bee inspector or from the seller. Or do it after having it quarantined for some weeks and checked by an experienced beekeeper.
If it?s your first nuc, you may risk it but your neighbor beekeepers will thank you for having a certificate.
You would not want to place a package on equipement carrying disease and not know it.

[iddee]

Buying used equip. is a gamble. The odds have been getting better for the last 50 years. I have bought used equip. since 1976. I have also bought existing hives for the same amount of time. In all, I have had AFB in a total of 2 hives. Both from live hives I purchased. I have never gotten AFB from empty equip. I bought.

Murphy's law..... Now that I've said that, the next piece of used equip. I buy will have AFB.   

[Ben Framed]

 Duc Duck Doc.
The information given to you by iddee is spot on. I am thinking that NC Is one of, if not the only state that has, or offers this unique service and this service might not be well known to other beekeepers from other states. If I'm wrong someone from another state with a similar program please correct me. Now Live Oak has always given good information and he may be correct as well about the waxing process??  Im assuming these boxes are not occupied Being you said boxes and inner covers. Many many old time bee keepers will probably advise against this and they have good reasons... Your call ... good luck with your new hobby!!
Phillip Hall " Ben Framed"

[van from Arkansas]

LiveOak is correct in the specifics of killing spores is very difficult and not easily accomplished.

Certainly ID is correct with fumigation, most likely by formaldehyde will indeed sterilize anything.  Nothing living can survive formaldehyde, not spores, mold, fungus, nor bacteria.

I am guessing Live Oak was not aware of fumigation in NC.  I was not aware until ID informed me.  North Carolina with its Fumigation is up to date and light years ahead of most states.

ID, how did you resolve the 2 cases of AFB???  Just me, I would burn immediately.
Blessings

[CoolBees]

Welcome to Beemaster Duc Duck Doc.

Good advice from everyone here. I started with homemade used equipment given to me by a friend. Luckily I didn't have any disease problems. However, the problem I found was Bee Space and Compatibility. When I needed more equipment, I didn't want to keep "taking" from him so I ordered some. What I got didn't fit what I had. So I ended up switching over to all new equipment.

Also, the Bee Spacing was wrong in the used equipment leading to all kinds of problems.

All of that can be a real pain. Just some addituonal things to watch out for.

Cheers
Alan

[iddee]

Stinger, 1 quart motor oil, one gallon gas, one match.
Fixed them right up.

[blackforest beekeeper]

All right. We don`t have AFB much in Germany, so....

But wouldn?t it be allright to use a large gas-torch and scorch it till it fumes and is quite darkened? It should get all spores, done thouroughly, no?
Also, there should be ways in a bath, like a soda-connection? Even at somewhere below boiling.

The gas-chamber sounds nice. Shipping might be the problem.

[SiWolKe]

All right. We don`t have AFB much in Germany, so....

But wouldn?t it be allright to use a large gas-torch and scorch it till it fumes and is quite darkened? It should get all spores, done thouroughly, no?
Also, there should be ways in a bath, like a soda-connection? Even at somewhere below boiling.

The gas-chamber sounds nice. Shipping might be the problem.

What? AFB spores are everywhere!! Two years past the restriction area was 5km near  and I was lucky not to be checked.
That time the district policy was to enforce a special law about migrating beekeepers who since then must have a special certificate.
You can look the areas up in the bee magazine "Biene und Natur".

Switzerland has the most serious problems with EFB and AFB, my swiss aquaintances tell me. I?m right at the border to switzerland, swiss beekeepers place their hives in germany near me.

If AFB is detected, the bees are saved if possible and all equippement burned, but I read about some chemical baths to put the boxes in. The frames are burned.
If it?s detected in fall, the hive is sulphured and then burned completely. You get some money then, 60 Euro.

[blackforest beekeeper]

Hi SiWolke,
I know about how things are run in Germany about AFB and migrating. Thing is: It is A LOT worse in the US. Is what I mean.
We have had close restriction areas, too. But OPEN AFB even in those areas is a very rare thing, just because things are run like they are run. AFB-spores will probably be in any hive.
Die "Bienensachverst?ndigen" are - imho - not enough, though. Some are unexperienced new-bees that wouldn`t know a potatoe from a stone.

[SiWolKe]

Hi SiWolke,
I know about how things are run in Germany about AFB and migrating. Thing is: It is A LOT worse in the US. Is what I mean.
We have had close restriction areas, too. But OPEN AFB even in those areas is a very rare thing, just because things are run like they are run. AFB-spores will probably be in any hive.
Die "Bienensachverst?ndigen" are - imho - not enough, though. Some are unexperienced new-bees that wouldn`t know a potatoe from a stone.

Yes, they watch u-tube and think themselves experts.
It needs some seasons working bees practically to get knowledge. But not all beekeepers are interested in knowledge about brood disease. They only want to fight mites.
Our AFB case came from an experienced beekeepers who stored honey frames in a basement to which the neighbor bees had access. And the frames were infested.

I would never had started beekeeping without bee class or without a mentor.
If I was new and purchased a nuc I would take someone experienced with me to look at it or I would ask a neighbor beekeeper to sell me a split.

[johnwratcliff]

Not worth using old used equipment

[Acebird]

(I'll quiz him attentively before receipt, just to be sure there's no known history of disease).

Ask him point blank has he ever used an antibiotic and does he have anymore?  If the answer is yes to either then walk.  Don't insult him just walk.

Nothing living can survive formaldehyde, not spores, mold, fungus, nor bacteria.

This is news to me.
Van take a look at this.
https://news.wisc.edu/microbe-eats-formaldehyde/

[Jaimes36]

Have em ship his used equipment to me, buy brand new! Have a nice day
-J


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