# Advice on reusing frames after wax moth damage



## beecuz (Apr 14, 2010)

I recently had to dismantle some hives due to wax moth damage. I scraped the frames clean and soaked them for several days in clorox and then hung them out to dry in the open air for several weeks. I did the same with the plastic foundation. Is this equipment ready to be used again? I am short on frames and could really use them now during our fall honey flow, but don't want to take unnecessary chances on putting any type of contamination back into my good hives. Any advice?


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## jadell (Jun 19, 2011)

What people usually do here is freeze them for a few days. This kills the larvae, and then the bees will clean up the rest when you put them back in the hives. This way you can put the wax back in the hive and they don't have to start over.


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## Hokie Bee Daddy (Apr 1, 2011)

What Jadell said is what I do too. As disgusting as the frames are, the bees will clean them up.


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## jrbbees (Apr 4, 2010)

Wax moths do not make a frame unusable to the bees. Freeze and they will take care of the mess.

SHB are completely different. They "slime" the frames and combs. That you cut out the comb and clean the frames.


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## snapper1d (Apr 8, 2011)

Here is what you need to think about before you reuse them.Why did wax moths destroy them in the first place???? Was it from some disease or was it a queen that wasnt up to par to keep enough bees to take care of the hive or some other reason.The hive had to be weakened for some reason for the moths to get in there and do their damage.If it wasnt from a disease then the frames are ok.If it was from a disease you need to get it off of your frames before using them again.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I would have cut out the webs (if they didn't fall out on their own) scrapped off the cocoons, turn the wedge sideways and put them back in the hive... the Clorox is total overkill. There is nothing the bees will "catch" from these.


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## beecuz (Apr 14, 2010)

Thanks for the advice. I have no idea if there was any disease (how do I tell ?) It seems they were okay and then about 6 weeks later they were infested with wax moths. The other hives sitting next to them (I had eight hives in a straight row) are just fine. I am wondering if I didn't leave enough stores for them during the dearth, which would have been the month of August, though when I had last visited them they seemed to have enough. Perhaps because of their smaller numbers they were robbed by the stronger hives...just don't know. I should have checked them every week to be sure. Kicking myself. 

But, moving forward, I will re-use the frames and plastic foundation again...and several of those frames still have drawn comb that looks fresh and clean (I had a few of them set out for the bees to rob and clean up on their own...they did a better job than I did scraping and cloroxing. ) 

Just to be sure about the absence of disease, I will not re-use the scraped frames until after the inspector comes by next month and takes a look at the ones I haven't cleaned up yet. Thanks for the help.


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