An idea for wet storing comb.

[plumberman]

OK, I'm prepared to be shot down in flames, but..........

What about loading super with wet combs, and then using cheapy cling film to wrap them up like you see some suitcases in airports.

Advantages (as I see them)
1) do not have to be stored in bee/wasp proof conditions
2) no drips of honey
3) stored wet and therefore minimal wax moth problems
4) could be stored outdoors.

Disadvantages
1) cost of cling film.
2) might ferment/go mouldy in an enclosed space
3) time consuming

Space cadet notion, or what?

 

[Chris Luck]

I find sheets of ply cut to size work well, easy to stack, easy to store when not in use, last forever, only need to buy once..

....why faf around, and anyway I'm slightly doubtful about "store outdoors", wouldn't last long here.

Chris

 

[Poly Hive]

Mice.

PH

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

I did try this last year with a couple of supers, but its a pain - the clingfilm rips easily, you have to use loads to cover properly and its awkward to apply. Perhaps an industrial wrapping arrangement may work, but I wouldn't recommend shop bought clingfilm

 

[Tom Bick]

OK, I'm prepared to be shot down in flames, but..........

What about loading super with wet combs, and then using cheapy cling film to wrap them up like you see some suitcases in airports.

Advantages (as I see them)
1) do not have to be stored in bee/wasp proof conditions
2) no drips of honey
3) stored wet and therefore minimal wax moth problems
4) could be stored outdoors.

Disadvantages
1) cost of cling film.
2) might ferment/go mouldy in an enclosed space
3) time consuming

Space cadet notion, or what?

1 – Spare Floor, blocked entrance and tray if mesh fitted
2 – Supers
3 – Spare Roof

A spare BB can be placed on the top super so to burn sulphur strips (be careful) if wax moth becomes a problem, or if one has one a big chest freezer to kill off any trace of wax moth eggs and all.

 

[peterbees]

I suggest putting a stack of about six supers of dry combs with a sealed crown board on top on a dolly (480x480mm x 18mm thick ply on 4 swivel castors ex Screwfix). Strap the lot tight with SpanSet straps and then wrap the pile with stretch film, not cling film. See Viking office supplies website, www.viking-direct.co.uk item G29-3398526, £11.59 + VAT for a roll of stretch film 500mm x 300m long. One person holds the roll of film, and another person spins the stack of supers on the castors. Then you can trundle the wrapped stack into an odd corner for winter.
I never store wet combs. They ferment and attract vermin. I let the bees clean them out, then I tidy up the combs with a bread knife.

 

[Chris Luck]

They ferment and attract vermin.

I've never known that to happen.

Chris

 

[Hivemaker.]

I've never known that to happen.

Nor me,and i store them all wet.

 

[george]

Agreed . Store them wet with the bottom one in one of those plastic trays from the garden centre , used for standing pots in . Then above each super a sheet of thick polythene and keep going up till you cant reach any further .
I have my supers stored in a large shed with a bee farmer and there must be 400 altogether . No fermentation and no mice or moth problems .

G

 

[oliver90owner]

All good ideas about wrapping, etc, but that is as far as it goes. Consideration of those ideas will soon lead to adoption of the simpler methods. Might be good for sealing between the boxes, if you must but generally boxes, pulled together with ratchet straps will be pretty well sealed at the joints and need very little 'remedial' work to seal any minor leaks. Any holes revealed will demonstrate tne need for repair.

Plastic bags are OK, perhaps for a 'couple of colonies' beekeeper. I can see the likes of some on here spending days, putting separate supers into separate bags.

The good practical solutions are to stack the supers and protect from damage.

Yes, any super 'wet' or 'dry' with combed frames will attract rodents and other 'vermin'. That is why they should be stored in supers suitably protected top and bottom. No appropriate protection will mean pests will gain access and not simply be just attracted.

Two sheets per stack of several supers is far more cost efficient than two sheets for each super. I use spare coverboards for atop and old solid flors as a base.

Access to fumigate is another important point.

Whether it is for fumigating against wax moth, or nosema, or EFB, it should be done at some stage. It is so much easier when in a stack of several supers all done at once. Easier and more efficient on materials.

Some will have never suffered damage in storage - I haven't since my first two seasons, when I did (bin liner option tried and can't remember the first winter's arrangement).

The castors are a good idea maybe, until a regular storage position is chosen. But these are all small refinements on a simple theme - a single (or multiple) stack(s), protected top and bottom.

RAB

 

[MandF]

This year will be our first with a "significant" number of supers and frames, and my intention is to get 2 sheets of ply, put a bin liner on the floor (probably unnecessary), 1 sheet of ply, supers stacked on top of each other, ply on top. all joins sealed with tape.

In intend to leave them like this all winter, and will use sulphur strips.

If we had a spare roof or floor or crown board, I would use those instead of the ply. I will probably be buying those spares at the next th..... sale.

 

[Poly Hive]

They are better stored wet for a very good reason that no one is discussing.

PH

 

[oliver90owner]

They are better stored wet ... no one is discussing

The very good reason for that is likely in the thread title:

An idea for wet storing comb. (my underlining)

RAB

 

[Chris Luck]

They are better stored wet for a very good reason that no one is discussing.

Tell you what Poly, why don't you start, I'm sure you would like to tell people.

Chris

 

[Erichalfbee]

I'm sure the bees would go up into the supers more easily next season if they were still covered in honey. Does wax moth attack wet comb?

 

[plumberman]

I'm sure the bees would go up into the supers more easily next season if they were still covered in honey. Does wax moth attack wet comb?

I was under the impression that storing wet meant less likelihood of wax moth attack, thus the original idea.

 

[WaxManSmokerBoy]

You are unlikely to learn the truth Plumberman, because Poly Hive prefers to play with you all, rather than give you any solid clues.

They will give the bees a good start next year when you return the supers to them. They will think that there is a flow on and get down to work without any delay.

 

[Blue Spinnaker]

They will give the bees a good start next year when you return the supers to them. They will think that there is a flow on and get down to work without any delay.

Is this it, PH?

As a newbie, the suspense is killing me!

 

[Poly Hive]

Nothing wrong with provoking people to think, as too much info is hand fed at times and any teacher will tell you that is not a good thing.

Yes wet combs will both reduce the chance of wax moth attack and make the supers much more attractive to getting the bees to work through the excluder.

PH

 

[WaxManSmokerBoy]

Gracias, PH