Dead brood, how to dispose

[exmoorbee]

A few days a ago we did a shook swarm on a hive (I know maybe too early but varroa count 180 in a week and weather still good by the sea here). We froze the brood for 3 days to kill the brood and varroa. all fine up to this point.

we now have 5 frames of frozen brood comb filled with dead sealed brood and varroa

What is the best way to dispose of this. I think are options are:-

• Solar wax extractor (big mess of larvae)
  
• Hang the whole frame in the chicken run for chickens to peck clean then wax extractor (bee close to run, may rob)
  
• put back into hive for bees to clean (seems a very bad idea)
  
• uncap while frozen and hit side of frame so larvae fall out (tried on one frame, about half the brood fell out, hit it a few more times whole comb fell out of frame)
  
• any thing thing else?????

Thanks in advance for any advice..

 

[REDWOOD]

Remove the comb and throw in the bin, wash and flame the frames and fit new foundation

 

[exmoorbee]

Remove the comb and throw in the bin, wash and flame the frames and fit new foundation

thanks redwood, seems I'm thinking too much again, keep is simple. sounds good.

 

[Poly Hive]

Would it pay you to think about a plan "B"? Five frames of brood is a substantial number of bees potentially.

By freezing them (no doubt with the best of intentions) there is a serious resource to the apiary lost.

Just a thought.

PH

 

[Finman]

.
The miite count was really bad. But the another way to handel mites is

- make a artificial swarm
- move the hive 20 feets
- put the frame of nonseeled brood in the new hive and that on old place.

- let the bees move themselves to the new hive.
- after 3 days handle the mites away from the hive with oxalic axid.


- Let the another part of hive emerge and give to them varroa cures during next 3 weeks.
- when all bees have emerged, you will see how much you have there bees. Lots will die for violation of mites.

5 frame of brood is a big hive when emerged.

.

 

[For want of a better word]

I am with PH, but I think the old comb + occupants would be best used as firelighters!

Wondered if your waste go to landfill or energy from waste incinerator?

 

[enrico]

Don't put them in a solar wax extractor. The smell of boiling brood is a sickly horrible smell. Puts you off ever doing it again! Just chuck it, be careful if you use it as a fire lighter, it REALLY burns and never use wax to start in indoor fire without experimenting on amount needed!
E

 

[Finman]

.
It is best dig into earth. Worms and mold will eate them all.

Throw into bin to where bees go to "forage real juice of life".

 

[psafloyd]

Couldn't the brood have been pulled with a fork and left out for the birds? I know when I've inspected my drone brood the robin has been very appreciative when I get back to my main plot.

 

[itma]

A few days a ago we did a shook swarm on a hive ... We froze the brood for 3 days to kill the brood and varroa. all fine up to this point.

we now have 5 frames of frozen brood comb filled with dead sealed brood and varroa ...

Couldn't the brood have been pulled with a fork and left out for the birds? ...

Isn't it normal to remove the brood (and feed to birds, chickens, whatever) before freezing the frames?

 

[drstitson]

Presume OP is a caring sort and couldn't face leaving brood and mites to die a slow lingering death.

just the same as the freezer vs knife approach to lobsters. horses for courses.

 

[itma]

...
just the same as the freezer vs knife approach to lobsters. horses for courses.

Main courses principally in Belgium.