# Clean Up After Hive Lost.



## jdyeboah2 (Jan 5, 2016)

Hello,

Last year was my first year in beekeeping. Unfortunately I found mites and hive beetles late in the season and the hive died. My hive still has about 7 frames of honey and 11 build out frames in the brood boxes. Would I have to start new and clean out all the honey and comb or would I be able to use these frames with a new colony? Any special clean up necessary?

Thanks!


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## sc-bee (May 10, 2005)

Did the hive beetle slime the frames. The hive beetle should be inactive and varroa dead if no bees. May have some wax moth eggs.. If the hive beetle did not slime them, for good measure I would throw them in deep freeze a few days. Ask a Northern beek maybe your outside temps are enough. But after freezing to possibly kill any eggs, I would be fine using them.


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## wvbeeguy (Feb 20, 2011)

+1 on freezing then store and reuse; new bees will take off faster with drawn comb. With up and down weather we have had freezing is only way to make sure you dont get wax moth and those will ruin your frames


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## Dan the bee guy (Jun 18, 2015)

Stick the frames in the freezer this winter has been just to nice.


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## jdyeboah2 (Jan 5, 2016)

Great to hear, I'll try freezing. It's been pretty cold lately but I'll probably pop them in the freezer to be sure.


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