# Removing Larvae from Honey frames?



## TexasFreedom (Feb 25, 2016)

I had a disaster this weekend. My most aggressive hive (wild caught, africanized) went crazy and killed 10 chickens and were going after anything within 200 ft of their hive. I had done an inspection earlier, but nothing to justify this reaction. I got them settled down, but the following morning they went after me 100' away. So the hard decision was made to destroy this colony (with heavy heart).

I've been freezing each super to kill the bees (1 deep & 4 supers). My problem is that a fair number of the frames are 20-50% larvae. Is there a way to remove large number of larvae from the frames to extract the honey? 

I'd rather not just give these frames to my other hives. For some of the 80% larvae frames, I'm ok with doing them. But I've got probably 10-20 frames that are 10-40% larvae, too many for my other hives. No, I didn't have a queen excluder in this hive. I've found that if I pull the larvae while still frozen that they come out fairly easily. But I don't have time for 1000's of larvaes.

Suggestions?


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## TNValleyBeeK (Oct 3, 2012)

Wash them out with water hose.


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## crofter (May 5, 2011)

I have carefully scratched cappings off surrounding honey while leaving the capped brood cells untouched. Quite a bit of the uncapped larvae extract intact but it filters out no problem. What I dont like to see is decapitated pupae in honey where the frames are simply sliced broad stroke with the hot knife.


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## aunt betty (May 4, 2015)

Had someone sneak into my extraction room while we were working. Was quiet as a mouse until a frame with about 4 capped larva was about to get de-capped and the mouse started squeaking up a storm. Have to wonder how much that mouse squeaked to the other beekeepers about that day. I put the frame back on a hive to appease mr mousey but I bet he didn't notice that and is still squeaking about bee larva juice in my honey. I'd rather not admit that these sort of things are even possible but too late...the cat is out of the bag.


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## rkereid (Dec 20, 2009)

TNValleyBeeK said:


> Wash them out with water hose.


This works for me too. Use a spray nozzle and only spray the larva. The cappings will spray off once they're wet and then the larva come out easily. Shake out the water and stack them with a fan blowing on them if you want to dry them out before extracting.


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## texanbelchers (Aug 4, 2014)

If the honey is going to your other colonies, just set them out for open feeding. The honey will be removed posthaste.


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