old comb and crystalised contents

[zubzub]

Hi I have found some old comb aprox 2 years old it still has some crystalised ivy in it
and was thinking could i melt down for the wax or is this not a viable option 2 out of 10 frames has old waxmoth trail on it.
Anybody help me what should i do ?

 

[VEG]

cut it out of the frame and bin it

 

[Finman]

Use the combs as brood frames and bees clean them. Combs are very valuable and dont melt them for old honey.

 

[zubzub]

thanks for replies guys as i dont like waste would like to think that there is an alternative to binning
will the old waxmoth trail cause any problems if i let the bees clean them up?
I have already cut them out of frames.

 

[Arfermo]

Bees will be better persuaded to clean them up if the crystallised cells are uncapped and the whole frame dunked in warm water and surplus water shaken before giving the frames back to them.

 

[YorkshireBees]

thanks for replies guys as i dont like waste would like to think that there is an alternative to binning
will the old waxmoth trail cause any problems if i let the bees clean them up?
I have already cut them out of frames.

Depends on the extent of the waxmoth trail. Any frame with waxmoth trails in that I find gets melted down for the wax and the frame steam cleaned.

As has been said, comb is always valuable. Depending on the state of it I re-use it in the main hive / use it for bait hives or melt it down for the wax.

Unless it is diseased I would never just throw away comb.

**My own opinion and may vary from others!**

 

[zubzub]

Thanks all as usual helpfull advise much appreciated

ZubZub