Hello - I am a Newbie,
I ran my first hive this year but it has now failed. My bees left a few days ago.
I do however have lots of honey. I am extracting today but I will be left with a load of wet frames and no bees to clean them.
How can I clean my wet frames for storage to use next year?
I am in northern Central Valley, CA.
Thanks
Sorry to hear that your bees left you high and dry…
Try again next season!
Depends on what you have available.
I empty the frames of honey or unripe honey. Then I wrap them in Cling Plastic Wrap (from CostCo) and freeze them for at least 48 hours. That kills off any wax moth and SHB larvae/eggs/pests. If you have space, just leave them in the freezer until next March, then get them out, defrost, wash out the drainage channel with warm water and put them back on the hive. Don’t wash off the wax etc, it is bee-friendly and will encourage them to use the frames faster next year.
If you can’t store them in the freezer, freeze them first anyway, then put them back into a super with several layers of burlap above and below it to allow air circulation, but keep out small insects. Store in a cool dry dark place (garage is fine) until next season.
Next year, you might benefit from joining a local club and getting a mentor. Tell them you have an 8-frame Langstroth hive (don’t mention Flow to start with) and they will likely help you a lot.
Hmm. Hot water gets rid of honey but the wax might get destroyed. Worst case is your new colony will have to clean up the wax bits left behind after rinsing them with hot water.
I like that idea better. I do not have much freezer space. I can just rinse off the honey with warm water in the big sink in my garage? Getting as clean as possible? I can then freeze a few frames at a time and store as suggested above.
Thank for the help.
I store my regular super frames wet. Yes they do ferment a teeny bit over winter but the bees just love them the next spring and are straight up there.
I might be tempted to just take off the whole super make sure nothing can get in it and store somewhere cool. Mine sit in a cold shed strapped together.
All less work for you
Only one standard drink per day for the girls.