[frysl]

My three be hives were doing just fine after a stressful move from the east coast and an unusually harsh and wet winter here in Dallas.
Unfortunately, this last weekend we had another bout of freezing temps and another 5" of snow.
I went into the three hives today.
Hive 1 has a live queen and a few hundred bees.
Hive 2 - no queen, very few bees.
Hive 3 - still doing well. I think this one did well because it was a nuc and the bees were not as spread out as the other hives. This hive I put into a 10 frame body and combined what was left of hive #2.

Hives 1 and two had hundreds of dead bees on the bottom of the hives.

Very disappointed but can't fight Mother Nature.

My question now is what do I do with all the frames, many of which still have honey and pollen stores? The only thing I can think of to do is to put all the now excess frames in a freezer until needed at a later date.
Please advise.
Steve

 

[rkr]

The only thing I can think of to do is to put all the now excess frames in a freezer until needed at a later date.
Please advise.
Steve

Yup. Put them in the freezer to kill any Moth eggs and the like. Then if you can store them in there until your bees get rolling again, your golden, if not maybe BT spray will keep them undamaged until you need them. Sundance might help on the use and longevity of the BT spray. I just got mine.
Either way, the first step is to be put in the (deep) freezer for at least 24 or 48 hrs should kill any stray Moth/SHB eggs.


Sorry to hear about your hives.
RKR

 

[Ruben]

You have the right idea if they die out, you can freeze them and wait for a swarm or do a split of the good hive. Or maybe start another nuc off of your good hive and then when ready transfer to a hive. Good Luck

 

[scdw43]

Be careful when you take them out of the freezer they will shatter like glass when frozen. Freeze them for 24-48 hrs and stack the boxes taping all cracks with blue painters tape.