drawn comb

[Nige.Coll]

I have purchased some second hand supers and brood boxes from someone that has retired from beekeeping.
The items came with frames and some drawn comb , I know the items will need to be cleaned and scorched before use but what about the frames and drawn comb
Is possible to sterilise the drawn comb and frames ?
or
is it better to just throw the frames away and remove the wax from the drawn comb and discard them ?

For the price of new frames and foundation i am leaning towards replacing them as i would be devastated if there was any disease transfer caused by me trying to save a few pounds.

 

[Heather]

I would dump the foundation, strip apart the frames and boil them to ensure clean and wax larvae free.
Then rebuild ..before adding foundation a week before you will use in hive. Don't be too quick to put new foundation in as it may go 'stale'

When you give bees new foundation they will appreciate a syrup feed as lots of energy expended in making new drawn.

 

[enrico]

I agree, but try and save the wax by melting and sell it back to a beekeeper supplier in exchange for fresh foundation. Depends on how much you have but a few brood box's worth would make it worth your while
E

 

[Hebeegeebee]

If and only If you know where the comb comes from (maybe you've mamaged the hives for example) and it's good - then 80% acetic acid will kill wax moth and nosema spores. But I wouldn't risk it.

"For the price of new frames and foundation i am leaning towards replacing them as i would be devastated if there was any disease transfer caused by me trying to save a few pounds. " Agreed.

 

[beeno]

I agree, but try and save the wax by melting and sell it back to a beekeeper supplier in exchange for fresh foundation. Depends on how much you have but a few brood box's worth would make it worth your while
E

Sorry enrico, I don't wish to be impertinent, but how does it make the 'new foundation' fresh if you follow that principle?

 

[itma]

Yes, I'd recycle the brood frames one way or another.

BUT, depending on exactly what was what, I wouldn't be so dogmatic about the supers.
If they looked decent, and you trust that the source had healthy bees, then I'd be tempted to Acetic fumigate them.
Drawn supers are incredibly useful things to have up your sleeve.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

how does it make the 'new foundation' fresh if you follow that principle?

Same as evryone assumes that new foundation you buy is 'fresh' all foundation comes from wax which has been 'recycled' in one form or another