Worldwide Beekeeping

Beekeeping => General Beekeeping => Topic started by: Newbee on February 06, 2020, 10:27:57 am

Title: Cleaning up a hive for re-use
Post by: Newbee on February 06, 2020, 10:27:57 am: Both of my hives died over-winter, and I'm looking to try again with a package or two this spring.
What steps should I take to prepare the old equipment (live bee's in it 2 months ago!) for re-use this spring to minimize transferring anything nasty?
Some of the frames have dead bee's stuck head-down in the comb, there is some honey left, a few spots have moldy/fuzzy looking nasty stuff...

Is it enough to remove anything not-nice looking, and place the frames in the freezer for a period (1-2 weeks?), or should I scrape everything off and make them start over? Burn all the frames and sterilize the woodware?

Dunno what killed them off, one was very healthy, one was weak going into winter... both dead out 100%. Did have a lot of SHB's in there...

Thanks.

- Kevin
Title: Re: Cleaning up a hive for re-use
Post by: iddee on February 06, 2020, 01:34:40 pm: Shake off what dead bees you can. Don't worry about the ones in the cells. freeze all the frames and keep them safe from wax moths. The bees will clean out the dead, the mold, and the dirt and dust. Just add your package to one box and add the other boxes as needed.
Title: Re: Cleaning up a hive for re-use
Post by: troutdog on February 10, 2020, 12:16:24 pm: Stack boxes and put 2 cups glacial acetic acid 95% on top of stack fully enclosed at 70 or better for temp.leave 2 weeks.
Kills nosema efb wax moths
Air out for a week minimum.

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Title: Re: Cleaning up a hive for re-use
Post by: Mikey N.C. on February 12, 2020, 08:00:10 pm: Would love to here more about this method. THANKS
Title: Re: Cleaning up a hive for re-use
Post by: Mikey N.C. on February 12, 2020, 08:11:20 pm: Troutdog,
Don't know what Chem. U talking about but is nosema and efb a problem in north states.???
Title: Re: Cleaning up a hive for re-use
Post by: Newbee on February 13, 2020, 07:35:56 am: Quote from: troutdog on February 10, 2020, 12:16:24 pm
Stack boxes and put 2 cups glacial acetic acid 95% on top of stack fully enclosed at 70 or better for temp.leave 2 weeks.
Kills nosema efb wax moths
Air out for a week minimum.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

Ditto Mikey, do you have any links or other details to share?

THanks.

- K
Title: Re: Cleaning up a hive for re-use
Post by: Marion on March 26, 2020, 04:34:13 pm: I lost one of my hives. The other one is going strong. My plan is when it is warm enough to move frames around I will replace some empty ones with honey frames from the lost hive. Anything good and not needed now I will put in the freezer. Then mid May when the strong hive is booming I will split it and try to start a new colony in the lost hive using some honey frames from the freezer. Is this a good plan?
Title: Re: Cleaning up a hive for re-use
Post by: Barbarian on March 27, 2020, 06:04:51 pm: I have used acetic acid as a fumigant for used brood comb.

I used 80% acetic acid. This went in a shallow dish on the top bars of a box or 3 of frames in a sealed stack. The fumes are heavier than air so sank slowly to the bottom of the stack.You could smell the acid from the outside of the stack.

BEWARE !!! The acid is corrosive. It will burn skin, attack metal parts in the stack (use Petroleum Jelly on runners) and if spilt on frames it will mark them.
Title: Re: Cleaning up a hive for re-use
Post by: LazyBkpr on April 07, 2020, 07:34:41 pm: I used 80% acetic acid.

great! Did it work? What research is there that proves it works and doesnt harm the bees, kills efb etc???? Really want to hear more about this!
Scott