Worldwide Beekeeping
Beekeeping => General Beekeeping => Topic started by: tedh on April 29, 2022, 01:17:47 pm
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While checking hives a couple weeks back i found 2 double deep hives completely empty. No honey, no pollen, no brood, no dead bees, just 20 empty drawn frames per hive. My guess is the bees absconded and judging by the detritus on the bottom board coupled with the ragged cells were then robbed out. Ive heard of this happening but this is my first experiance with it. Should i be concerned about re-using the frames? Thanks, ted
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No funky smell to them?
If no, and they look fine, I would check to make sure wax moth wasn't the reason for the detritus and thus possible absconding- either way, I'd freeze the frames for a good 3 days before putting them back out for the bees to use.
Should be good to go after that...
No honey, pollen, nothing left huh?
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I agree. If there is no reason to suspect disease, I'd just freeze them to kill any pests that may have moved in in the bees' absence.
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Thanks for the responces. The detritus was just wax capping. I didnt detect any odors but will give it another sniff just in case. I hit the frames with some BT to protect them from cabbage worms ;) but didnt think about freezing them. Good call!
It was really strange to pop them open them and find nothing but a handfull of bees cleaning up the leavings. I can sure put the drawn comb to use so there is that. Ted
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Another question to ask yourself is why did they abscond? Can you see any white granular stuff in the cells? That varroa droppings.
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A photo of the frames would be helpful
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Wait, white granular, almost like sugar but larger grains and more of a white color? I think i saw some, thought it was sugar. I need to google. Thanks bakers!
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Here in upper northern California, the drought has gotten so bad and we are constantly on fire living all summer with various degrees of smoke everyday, absconds happen often here.
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I bet you get a premium for your smoked honey. I bet BBQ fanatics would buy that up in a heartbeat! :)
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oooooh Zweefer, I'm on an avalanch of smoked honey ideas now :D
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oooooh Zweefer, I'm on an avalanch of smoked honey ideas now :D
I suggest smoked honey with goat cheese and crackers.