My friend Phill's hive

[Jen]

So some of you will remember that I helped my friend Phill set up his first hive in early July. It didn't do well, it was my first cut out, and Phill knows nothing of bees, so it was like the blind leading the blind.

Anyway, his hive is still out in his yard. There is nothing in it except 5 frames of odd ball wax. What are the chances of a swarm of bees finding this empty deep, and picking up where the old colony failed?

[Perry]

If there are other honey bees (colonies or feral ones) in the area, I would say not bad. A drop or two of lemongrass oil in the spring and wait and watch.

[riverbee]

jen have you or phil looked in there recently?

before a swarm moves in there my bet would be on some pest moving in and taking over.........i would get this equipment stored if i could.  here in my weather, FRIGID, if a colony died out, i would close it up and move it in a warmer temp and before spring rolled around.

then later or when swarm season rolls around.....do as perry says.

[GLOCK]

JEN= why not give him a split in the spring your friend right?

[brooksbeefarm]

Like squirt, i would be surprised in your mild climate that wax moths haven't taken up house keeping . If they haven't i would hit the comb with BT and close it up until swarm season and do what my buddy Frosty from Canada said. Jack

[Jen]

Riv, yes, I was out his way about 6 weeks ago. The hive is very clean actually, but that was 6 weeks ago. There was some wax moth webs tho, but not bad. If I put the deep in storage, how should I clean it so it can go back out in spring? would that be put it in the freezer for a couple days?

[riverbee]

FROSTY and squirt eh jack?!  LOL! 

"6 weeks ago. There was some wax moth webs tho, but not bad. If I put the deep in storage, how should I clean it so it can go back out in spring? would that be put it in the freezer for a couple days? "

wax moth webs on the frames 6 weeks ago ya say? oops. like jack said use bt, or freeze the frames.  i haven't used bt, so can't give advice about this stuff. as far as the deeps, the boxes themselves, inspect them and see if those little buggers haven't burrowed somewhere in a nook and cranny.

[Jen]

What is BT?

[iddee]

Bacillus thuringiensis

See why it is abbreviated?   


https://www.google.com/search?q=bacillus+thuringiensis&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

[Jen]

Makes me want to sneeze    Thanks Iddee

[Jen]

Okay. So this is the condition of the frames the last time I saw them, about 3 months ago. 5 deep frames only, from the cutout.

Should I leave this comb as is, and let the bees straighten it out?

[efmesch]

"Some wax moth webs" in the course of 6 weeks can turn into a whole lot of destroyed combs and damaged woodwork..  Especially since, from the pictures, we can see that the combs are not new, but darkened from several rounds of brood reaaring.  That makes them particularly attractive to the moths. [New comb doesn't have any exuviae pressed against the insides of the cells and isn't nourishing for the wax moth larvae.]
IF the wax moths haven't made a complete mess of the combs, then freezing them should kill any larvae present, and they could well serve to attract swarms in the swarming season, after removing the dead larvae.  However, be prepared to replace ALL those poorly built frames immediately after the swarm moves in.  Swarms are great when it comes to quickly building new, perfect combs.  It would be a terrible waste of a blessing not to get the swarm to build your friend new combs that will be a pleasure to work with.  The old combs can be melted down for wax---and YOU know what to do with that. 

[brooksbeefarm]

  Ef, well said. Jack

[riverbee]

"this is the condition of the frames the last time I saw them, about 3 months ago. 5 deep frames only, from the cutout."

jen, that was 3 months ago.....

"Should I leave this comb as is, and let the bees straighten it out?"

refer to what ef said, and you or the bees might not have to worry about it if wax moths have destroyed it......

[Jen]

Mkay, so I'm thinking of just cutting that old wax out, freezing the frames for a couple of days, cleaning the hive body. Then add new wax foundation to those chilled frames, then setting out there in the country, and see what happens.

Should I fill the deep with 10 frames? or keep it 5 frames for a potential swarm.

And when should I set this deep/frames back outside? Say... mid Februrary? and that's when I'll put the lemongrass in.

[iddee]

You NEVER, EVER, EVER  use less than a full box of frames. Bees will ALWAYS draw the first comb where there is no frame.

[Lburou]

Jen,  most everything has been said already, but I have a couple links that may be helpful:

First, Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies aizawai...is manufactured specifically for wax moth control in stored comb. Be sure to get Bt a. If you can't find any, I can send a teaspoon full-thats all you will need to spray all the frames you have.

Second, Here is a paper written by a researcher about natural hive locations, size of cavity, bait hive placement and all the current wisdom about bait hives.

[Jen]

Iddee- "You NEVER, EVER, EVER  use less than a full box of frames. Bees will ALWAYS draw the first comb where there is no frame.

    You mean like this?

[Riverrat]

It appears to me in pic number 2 and 3 the comb is banded in upside down.  If so that is a no no in a cutout. They have to be banded in with top of comb to the top of frame.  Cells are at about a 5 degree angle pointing down at bottom of cell

[Jen]

Rrat- Yes, this cut out was done prior to my knowledge of how comb is built at an upward slant.

    question, if I leave this comb like this... wouldn't the new bees fix that?