# Store safe drawn comb frames



## imperialbees (Jan 30, 2011)

Hi im 2nd year in beekeeping in Florida. Where is best place to store my drawn comb frames? I dont have a lot now but after this season will bee more.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

In Nebraska out where it will freeze. In Florida, on a strong hive that can guard them.


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## hipbee (Sep 11, 2009)

I have had luck just stacking boxes on there sides where they get lots of ventilation. but I only store them in the winter when the moths are frozen. come spring I always need more than i have... 
I have read about people storing frames by hanging them outside under a lean too or something where they get lots of light and ventilation. but ive been under a lean too in Florida I would imagine it would bee more of a solar wax melter in the summer. so like michael said on a strong hive would be your best bet. unless you have a whole lot of freezers....I once froze a nuc that got infested with beetle larva to kill there eggs and then let a strong hive clean them up, it worked like a charm.


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## HONEYDEW (Mar 9, 2007)

Since this is biological beekeeping forum you could us BT or Certain, and spray the combs after extracting the honey and the moths wont invade. Just search the forums for BT powder I think Sundance sells it in the for sale section..


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## arcowandbeegirl (Oct 11, 2010)

I had supers with drawn drames in them after they had been harvested last year. They were stored in their boxes, with the seems taped. A paper plate with paramoth crystals was put on top of each super, then they were stacked up and a sheet of paper put on top of the last super and taped up with an outer cover over it. That is how the beekeeper I bought the bees from told me to do it. They are stored inside of a storage building, and are sitting on a bottom board.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

HONEYDEW said:


> Since this is biological beekeeping forum you could us BT or Certain, and spray the combs after extracting the honey and the moths wont invade. Just search the forums for BT powder I think Sundance sells it in the for sale section..


I never have any problem w/ wax moth in honey supers. I would think that a Biological Beekeeping Beekeeper would do as little as possible or nothing, if it works. Why can't you just stack them up in the corner of your garage? Or, as MB wrote, on a strong hive? 

In the south, why don't you "store" them under your occupied supers of youir hive? 

Friends in SC store them just like they do up north in NY, on a warehouse pallet, 6 to a layer, and covered.

I like MB's suggestion.


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## beemandan (Dec 5, 2005)

If all they've ever had in them is honey, wax moths won't be interested. If, on the other hand, they've had brood in them....that's an entirely different matter. 
Putting empty comb on hives for storage in areas with shb infestations can be a problem.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I sure lost a lot of supers once that had never had anything in them but honey... what a mess. Stored them in my basement and I still have wax moths in my basement six years later...


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## beemandan (Dec 5, 2005)

I, on the other hand, have them stacked in a shed, season after season, without any problem. Go figure.


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## Barry (Dec 28, 1999)

imperialbees said:


> Where is best place to store my drawn comb frames?


All depends. Was there ever brood in the comb or not? Comb that hasn't had brood in it can be stored just about anywhere. I've stored it both indoors and out without problems. Comb that has had brood in, not so. I've stored brood comb both inside and out (off the hive) and have always had wax moth damage to some degree. I don't use anything to treat them.

Sorry, I see Dan already stated much of this!


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## basser59 (Nov 2, 2009)

After I extracted the honey I put the boxes back on the hives to let the bees clean them up. Once cleaned I froze the frames then let thaw, and put 5 frames each in plastic trash bags. Then the were stored in the barn. 
I checked some of them the other day and all the frames of wax looks good.


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## B Reeves (Oct 2, 2009)

put the whole box and frames in the freezer let freeze, remove, put in HD plastic gagbage bag, them store, treat them like gold, they are
Bob


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## KQ6AR (May 13, 2008)

Hi,
My first year the wax moths tore up a couple of my honey supers in storage. They where frozen for a few weeks before going into storage. I've been using the BT ever since without a problem.
The BT is the only substance approved by Naturally Grown standards. I think Organic standards approve of it also.

If you're in hive beetle area's I wouldn't store them under you're colony for winter. As the cluster shrinks the supers wouldn't be protected.


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## peacekeeperapiaries (Jun 23, 2009)

Here in FL wax moths and SHB are year round pests...and yes our moths will make a mess of "honey supers" no brood required. ARCOWANDBEEGIRL appears to have the para-moth system down pretty good and that is what we use... I plan to try some BT this year and see how it works. DO NOT put supers away "wet" let the bees clean them up then get thm stored ASAP as the beetles will move in quickly, then a week after you store your supers you will have a terrible mess.


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## Ted Kretschmann (Feb 2, 2011)

We found out quite by accident that if you store your boxes of comb were there is air ventilation and sun light that wax moth will not bother them. As the extracting season winds down at the end of July, we place 36 mediums on a regular pallet and shrink wrap them. Then the pallets are placed in a pole barn, that is not closed in. We stack two pallets of comb on top of each other using a fork lift. By fall we have around 5000 medium depth supers in storage in the pole barn. We never have a wax moth problem. The secret is air and sunlight. Later the winter cold protects the comb also. TK


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## Solomon Parker (Dec 21, 2002)

I leave boxes (supers? they're all deeps) on the hives year round. I use three deeps for brood, unlimited broodnest. I harvest in June and then just put the boxes back on the hives so the bees can clean them out and then begin to refill them for winter. This last year, they didn't refill them because there was no nectar available. But they will keep moths out either way.

Sun and air is a good point. For that reason, whatever I can't leave on the hives, I stack in the shop on a base that is ventilated so that air is freely circulated. Never stack frames together, moths will eat them. Never leave a bucket of wax scrapings around for long, moths will eat it.


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