Useable or should i toss it?

[Zier64]

Just wondering i had a hive die out and it is pretty moldy looking from the dead bees should i just cut it all out and clean the frames??? or will the bees clean this up??

[jim lyon]

I wouldn't force a new package to deal with that but a good hive will clean it out without too much problem. It's possible, though, that if the mold has permeated the comb too much they might rebuild some drone comb in the worst area.

[Zier64]

Ok sounds true maybe i will toss it in a big hive to clean then switch it as drawn comb for a hive as i'm still only couple seasons in...Combs like goolllddd! lol

[Bees In Miami]

Zier...I 100% agree that drawn frames are like gold...BUT!!! What do you want to introduce to your healthy colonies? I toss far more than I WANT to, but don't take any chances. JMO! Bees draw comb in nature...so I let them do the same, without throwing 'clean up' jobs their way. Again, JMO! I have yet to find a frame of empty drawn comb that wasn't riddled with other problems. Just be cautious, as to not spread other bad stuff like SHB, etc...

[beepro]

If I have this frame I would not give it to my bees. Looks too old and moldy esp. at the bottom side.
They may be able to clean it up but I am thinking how do they clean themselves up afterward. And feeding
the young bees, larvae and queen too. If the moldy comb is hiding something nasty then your hive will be
affected as well. I would not take this risk. But if you have many bees and not mind if some of them die
afterward then go ahead to reuse. I have seen on youtube the dirty combs but not the moldy ones.
Use at your own risk I supposed.

[Zier64]

Ya True...This hive was wayy to humid when i opened it. I should have moved the hive back into a nuc because their werent enough bees to regulate anything properly...Learning curves...Hate them!

[beepro]

In finance school there is a risk to reward mentality. I am thinking just because of one moldy frame might have
the potential to put my entire bee hive on the danger zone. Would I risk this knowing it is moldy and the fact
that these molds are of unknown origin that might harbor something else with it. If one moldy comb put my hive
in danger with the potential of monetary loss then I would not do it. You have to look at how expensive to
replace your existing bee colony versus this moldy comb values alone. How much time you have put in raising a healthy
colony too. Is it worth the risk for this one frame of reward even though it is a successful attempt? They will do it alright because this is their home. If your house is dirty you would clean and vacuum it too. But how many worker bees have to die because covered with molds afterward?

[WWW]

I would not reuse it in any of my hives, just cut the comb out, scrape the frame clean and drop the frame in between two drawn comb in your strong hive, the bees will quickly build new comb.

[jim lyon]

Zier...I 100% agree that drawn frames are like gold...BUT!!! What do you want to introduce to your healthy colonies? I toss far more than I WANT to, but don't take any chances. JMO! Bees draw comb in nature...so I let them do the same, without throwing 'clean up' jobs their way. Again, JMO! I have yet to find a frame of empty drawn comb that wasn't riddled with other problems. Just be cautious, as to not spread other bad stuff like SHB, etc...

"riddled with other problems"? Like what? If there were shb or wax moth in it, it would be destroyed by now. I don't see any sign of brood diseases. If the structure is sound (can't see that clearly) then yes a strong hive will clean it up in fairly short order. Ideally it probably should be replaced with a new frame but the question was "will they clean it up" and my answer is "yeah they will", I have seen it countless times. On the other hand if I had plenty of new combs at my disposal and was making a decision on the comb pictured it would go in the scrap pile in a heartbeat. A bad comb dosent dare show it's face to me when I'm in a throwing mood.