Tricky Question

[La Folie]

I am using the winter to bone-up on questions for my Basic next year, but one has me stumped. 'If your bees have suffered starvation what should you do to frames afterwards?'

Can anyone help please?

 

[pargyle]

I am using the winter to bone-up on questions for my Basic next year, but one has me stumped. 'If your bees have suffered starvation what should you do to frames afterwards?'

Can anyone help please?

I doubt it's the 'BBKA' answer but what I would do is recover the wax and either burn or thoroughly clean the frames .. perhaps saving a couple of the better ones for use in a bait hive to try and replace the dead bees with a swarm !!

I'm sure there are a lot of beekeepers who would keep them and re-use the comb after a sterilising treatment ... and some who would just re-use them anyway !!

 

[mbc]

I am using the winter to bone-up on questions for my Basic next year, but one has me stumped. 'If your bees have suffered starvation what should you do to frames afterwards?'

Wash them in tears of remorse for being such a poor beekeeper as to let my bees starve.

 

[merince]

If it is really starvation, your comb will be full of dead bees with their heads in the cells. I am not sure what the "official" answer is, but usually, you can knock them off or brush them off.

After that, you can give the combs to a strong hive to clean it up and then you can re-use it.

 

[mbc]

If it is really starvation, your comb will be full of dead bees with their heads in the cells. I am not sure what the "official" answer is, but usually, you can knock them off or brush them off.

After that, you can give the combs to a strong hive to clean it up and then you can re-use it.

Its a good answer but probably nil points from the bbka examiner

 

[user 6228]

Its a good answer but probably nil points from the bbka examiner

Starvation can have a nosema infection Or any other infection or parasitism as contributory cause. So you need to clean/sterilise for possible nosema infection.

 

[Swarm]

If it is really starvation, your comb will be full of dead bees with their heads in the cells. I am not sure what the "official" answer is, but usually, you can knock them off or brush them off.

After that, you can give the combs to a strong hive to clean it up and then you can re-use it.

Agree and probably the examiner might also agree. Question was starvation, no mention of disease, so the recipient colony is just clearing dead bees, same as they would in their own hive.

Answer could begin something like ...
After ruling out disease, ...etc.

 

[REDWOOD]

Can't think of any other possible answer only remove dead bees, and ask your self why they starved
Could be a trick question as bees can starve and still have stores with nosema so correct answer would be melt wax and disinfect frames

 

[REDWOOD]

Starvation can have a nosema infection Or any other infection or parasitism as contributory cause. So you need to clean/sterilise for possible nosema infection.

Sorry derekm did not read all replies

 

[BeeJayBee]

If it's dark old, comb it's probably best to clean up the frame and rewax - or they could be used in a bait hive.

In Spring, and if you've got a colony that could make use of some drawn frames, you might not need to do anything much apart from brushing off the dead bees.

If the frames are going to be stored for any length of time before being used again you'd need to make sure the comb isn't destroyed by wax moth. You could freeze the frames for a couple of days, to kill any eggs or larvae, or use acetic acid or a sulphur candle and then store them in a sealed box to keep wax moth out.

In case you haven't seen these pages :
Wax moth https://secure.fera.defra.gov.uk/beebase/index.cfm?pageid=207
Nosema https://secure.fera.defra.gov.uk/beebase/index.cfm?pageid=191

 

[sharonh]

I am using the winter to bone-up on questions for my Basic next year, but one has me stumped. 'If your bees have suffered starvation what should you do to frames afterwards?'

Can anyone help please?

Hi La folie,
Is that the exact question, or was it in different words.

Assuming the bees were dead from starvation, you would first close of the hive to stop anything getting in to it, incase disease etc.
Then the hive would need to be fully inspected for disease. A full evaluation of bee state, heads stuck in cells etc. Amount of stores, was it isolation starvation or had they any left at all.
frames then would have to be cleared of dead bees . All would need to be checked for disease and dealt with accordingly.
Assuming no disease, frames would need to be put in freezer to kill anything else that may be lurking. Then any stores can be giving to another colony if left.
Sharon

 

[merince]

This question definitely gets the wheels turning!

Apart from nosema, ineffective fall mite treatment can cause the hive to enter winter with inadequate cluster. I have seen clusters as small as 6-8 inches across. A sudden cold snap could cause such a small cluster to starve within less then an inch or sometimes even within reach of honey stores.

 

[masterBK]

As far as I know there is no such question "If your bees have suffered starvation what should you do to frames afterwards?" on any of the variations of the Basic guidelines issued to examiners to use in assessing Basic candidates. So where did this question come from?

That said it is an interesting question that beekeepers must face. Colonies containing bees with Nosema are more likely to die from starvation than noninfected colonies of similar size going into winter. So I personally would scrap/burn all dark and distorted combs and any combs with dead bees in the cells but sterilise any decent combs with 80% acetic acid.

4.21 of latest Basic syllabus states that candidates must be "aware of the need for regular brood comb replacement". There is no specific mention of starvation at Basic level.