Newer keeper, and wondering what household cleaners are safe to use to clean boxes / bottom boards?
They are just gunky with some mold and mildew and ya know, some mouse excraments. This is equipment currently out of service. I know bees do a good cleaning inside, but I want to be proactive.
Bleach? Other? Wet and forget?
What's best and will not be nasty or leave residue to harm repel bees if used inside and out?
The word "dirty" has a different meaning for bees than for humans. I would use clorox only because of jthe mouse excrement-otherwise just scrape it off somewhat and forget it.
Scrape gunk off then I use a 10% bleach solution. Spray it on, let it work a bit, rinse it off. Let it air out and dry for 24 hours. Kills all the mold. It's worked well for me.
Do y'all go to these measures before you use your equipment for the first time? Clorox use is totally unnecessary. I can understand the mind set in todays world where antiseptic hand lotion is available and in use commonly.
Thanks for the info all, my concerns r really 2 fold, mouse pee/poo is nasty...can carry disease for me and I don't want to use cleaner that may be nasty for them.
Ya know, I kind of over looked this fact that I do know about.
This equipment is in fact used. The folks I got it from were the only owners, they were 1-2 year folks, and they said the bees "absconded" one day. They said everything seemed fine then one day they were "gone".
Well, when I took at look inside here is what I found.
-Fully drawn out first deep, each had a 2nd deep in place but no wax draw. Could have been added later.
-Center frame was missing, as they had queen cage inserted there, fully drawn comb in this empty slot.
-comb was pretty dark, looked like 2 yr + comb to me.
-several hundered dead bees on bottom board
-Several ~4 frames with 100 or less of dead bees "head in" the cells. Obviously a cluster sign.
-comb was mostly empty, except for the small head in dead bees. no stores, no pollen, very little signs of wax moths. very few cells with partial caps on them some with dead paupe inside, like maybe 20-40 total in entire box.
Now going from what they said, they said the bees were "doing well" but then gone one day. They did treat with formic acid but I don't think anything else.
Could a formic acid treatment make them abscond?
Why would there appear to be dead wintered cluster bees? I would think an active hive would QUICKLY clear these bees out.
The more I think about it the stranger it gets.
Are there signs of foulbrood in empty comb? I have never experienced it.
I am NOT using any of the old combs, was just going to use the boxes.
I suppose I could scorch them on the insides as a precaution.
-comb was mostly empty, except for the small head in dead bees. no stores, no pollen, very little signs of wax moths. very few cells with partial caps on them some with dead paupe inside, like maybe 20-40 total in entire box
I've had several hives starve. Bees with heads in the cells makes the diagnosis obvious. If you haven't cut out the comb yet, don't. It is safe to use and will save the next colony a lot of work and make you much more honey.
Thanks all for the info and suggestions. This is a great fourm.
I did scrub down my bottom boards that were nasty with some bleach water...they were just nasty....funny though, they still smell like mouse urine after they dried out....ick.
according to the forum on bee-L clorox is used by many commercial guys. they use it for nosema ceranae and varroa related viruses on all of there deadouts.
You can use bleach...randy oliver gave me the ratios and I cannot remember them off the top of my head.
I only use bleach on plastic hive parts. I use a large propane brush burner for boxes.
Dirty equipment - yes, the bees know what to do but WE like it to look nice!
I use Sugar Soap and a rinse. Takes away the dirt and the bees have never complained.
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Related Threads
?
?
?
?
?
Beesource Beekeeping Forums
1.8M posts
54.7K members
Since 1999
A forum community dedicated to beekeeping, bee owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about breeding, honey production, health, behavior, hives, housing, adopting, care, classifieds, and more!