Dead colony, what to do with frames

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chalkie

House Bee
Joined
Mar 20, 2009
Messages
204
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Location
Tyldesley/Lancashire
Hive Type
National
Number of Hives
5+
I've lost my first colony through death and was wondering what should i do with the frames, i've scorched the hive ready to re-use.
Don't know the cause of the deaths as the bees had at least 6 frames of stores left, think that they just froze to death as there wern't that many bees covering frames and no sign of the queen.
 
looks like they got stranded but could be nosema

three options

1) burn them and buy new frames and wax

2) make a solar extractor, extract the wax in the summer and boil the frames in dilute caustic soda,then scrap of any remain crud and proplis and re wax

Me i do a third option ,

3) I use only new frames and new wax, I extract the old wax and sell it then use the extracted frames as firelighter in the winter
 
Wait for summer? My extractor is working fine today!

Melt them down and give the leftover bits to the chooks!

R2
 
Wait for summer? My extractor is working fine today!

Melt them down and give the leftover bits to the chooks!

R2


so is my solar exctractor...but his is in Wigan ;)................think it raining there today and minus 3 overnight , thought i had better stay safe and say summer...he might not see the sun until july tthey did not last year :smilielol5:
 
I lost 2 colonies with the frames looking exactly the same

minus 2 here tonight plenty 0f water
 
Last edited:
Thanks for your replies but now got another problem, bees began robbing the dead hive through a small hole (not my bees as the robbing bees are black) so i moved the hive away and sealed up the hole, the robbing bees then moved onto my next colony which was only small so i reduced entrance down to one bee space, went down to the bees today to find the queen had been dragged out and killed along with most off the hive.
I'm now in fear that if i move this hive then they will just move on to my last colony which is about 10 yards away, i've also reduced the entrance to one bee space.
Any ideas.

thanks
 

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