Mould on combs

[Do224]

Just had a quick look at the frames from my dead outs and a few have gone a bit mouldy. Are they still ok to use…will the bees clear them up? As a new beekeeper drawn frames are thin on the ground for me so I’m loathed to waste them…

 

[Swarm]

A quick brush will remove the 'fluffy' stuff, they are fine.

 

[Boston Bees]

Once you have brushed the surface, definitely freeze them for 48 hours. One of those sections looks suspiciously like a wax moth trail.

After that, a great frame to keep and reuse - would go nicely in a swarm trap too ....

 

[Do224]

Once you have brushed the surface, definitely freeze them for 48 hours. One of those sections looks suspiciously like a wax moth trail.

After that, a great frame to keep and reuse - would go nicely in a swarm trap too ....

Thanks for the tip. Which bit is the wax moth trail?

 

[Boston Bees]

Thanks for the tip. Which bit is the wax moth trail?

It might not be, and a look through the comb in bright sunlight will probably tell you, but the sections in red drew my eye.

It's exactly the type of comb they love.

 

[enrico]

I must admit it does look like wax moth may have been in it. There are a couple of ways to see, as stated if you hold the frame up to a bright light you can see the tunneled trail. The other way is to bend a paper clip and see if the cells go all the way to the foundation. If you can feel gaps under the cells I like be suspicious. If it isn't too far and no sign of live grubs then the bees will chew and repair.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

waxmoth I'd say, not mould

 

[Do224]

So scrape it off a bit, freeze for 48 hrs and they’re good to go?

 

[Boston Bees]

So scrape it off a bit, freeze for 48 hrs and they’re good to go?

Yes