Welcome, Guest

Author Topic: Tips for cleaning pollen bound frames?  (Read 6008 times)

Offline Bee-Mover

  • New Bee
  • *
  • Posts: 35
  • Gender: Male
    • Bee-Mover
Tips for cleaning pollen bound frames?
« on: November 30, 2013, 08:05:21 am »
I've got a number of frames that are pollen bound.  I want to clean them out, but don't want do loose or damage my drawn out comb.

Is there an easy way to clean out the individual cells or do I need to pick away at them one at a time?

Or is it not worth the trouble?  Should I clear out all the comb and put fresh foundation in the frames?

Offline wildbeekeeper

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 172
  • Gender: Male
Re: Tips for cleaning pollen bound frames?
« Reply #1 on: November 30, 2013, 10:44:14 am »
Why would you want to clean those frames?  If they are in good shape, freeze them for a couple of days to kill any wax moth or small hive beetle eggs and then use them to build a mic or supplement the bees when pollen is slim.

Offline rwlaw

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 318
  • Gender: Male
Re: Tips for cleaning pollen bound frames?
« Reply #2 on: November 30, 2013, 11:52:28 am »
Ditto what wildbk'r said, come spring your hives'll need that shot in the arm. Just before the dandolions start blooming, put em in the 4 & 8 position of the brood nest, they'll think they've died & gone to heaven.

 
Can't ever say that bk'n ain't a learning experience!

Offline edward

  • Queen Bee
  • ****
  • Posts: 1203
  • Gender: Male
Re: Tips for cleaning pollen bound frames?
« Reply #3 on: November 30, 2013, 01:11:30 pm »
If you put them in the middle of the brood nest they will clear them out and/or use the pollen.

If they are moldy melt them down.


mvh Edward  :-P

Offline pgayle

  • New Bee
  • *
  • Posts: 18
  • Gender: Female
Re: Tips for cleaning pollen bound frames?
« Reply #4 on: November 30, 2013, 11:47:15 pm »
If you keep pollen frames in a frost-free freezer over the winter, will they dry out so much that the bees can't use them?  Or can the bees still use them if they're dry? 

The reason I ask is, I was looking at freezers at Lowe's today.  I was wondering if pollen frames would keep better in a non-frost-free?  (No daily warming cycles). 

Offline Bee-Mover

  • New Bee
  • *
  • Posts: 35
  • Gender: Male
    • Bee-Mover
Re: Tips for cleaning pollen bound frames?
« Reply #5 on: December 01, 2013, 05:27:11 am »
Why would you want to clean those frames?  If they are in good shape, freeze them for a couple of days to kill any wax moth or small hive beetle eggs and then use them to build a mic or supplement the bees when pollen is slim.

I'm in Tennessee, there is no shortage of pollen here.  The smokey mountains got their name because there is so much of it in the air it looks like smoke.

I've wondered if a pollen trap would actually reduce the amount of pollen in the frames through the summer, but I've never used one.

Moots

  • Guest
Re: Tips for cleaning pollen bound frames?
« Reply #6 on: December 01, 2013, 11:45:28 am »

I'm in Tennessee, there is no shortage of pollen here.  The smokey mountains got their name because there is so much of it in the air it looks like smoke.

I've wondered if a pollen trap would actually reduce the amount of pollen in the frames through the summer, but I've never used one.

Bee-Mover,
I've never used a pollen trap either, but know someone who uses them regularly to collect and sell pollen.  My understanding is that when using them, you have to remove them fairly often to allow the bees to collect the necessary pollen for the hive.

I think there's NO DOUBT that it would reduce the amount of pollen being stored in your hives.  Every bit of pollen that you collect in a trap is pollen that would have made it into the hive.

Considering you seem to be in a pollen rich area, it may be worth giving it a try.

Good Luck.  :)

Offline edward

  • Queen Bee
  • ****
  • Posts: 1203
  • Gender: Male
Re: Tips for cleaning pollen bound frames?
« Reply #7 on: December 01, 2013, 01:28:15 pm »
I've wondered if a pollen trap would actually reduce the amount of pollen in the frames through the summer, but I've never used one.

Nope  :-D I have been using 40 traps on my hives all season, I collect 5-8 kg pollen from each hive and they still have frames full of pollen.

The bees consume 35-40kg pollen each year.


mvh Edward  :-P

Offline Bee-Mover

  • New Bee
  • *
  • Posts: 35
  • Gender: Male
    • Bee-Mover
Re: Tips for cleaning pollen bound frames?
« Reply #8 on: December 01, 2013, 06:52:55 pm »
Nope  :-D I have been using 40 traps on my hives all season, I collect 5-8 kg pollen from each hive and they still have frames full of pollen.

The bees consume 35-40kg pollen each year.


mvh Edward  :-P

Wow, that's a lot! Maybe I'm inventing a problem that I don't have.  It just seems that each year I have an unusual amount of pollen left in the frames at the end of the season.

Offline 10framer

  • Super Bee
  • *****
  • Posts: 1701
Re: Tips for cleaning pollen bound frames?
« Reply #9 on: December 02, 2013, 03:41:58 pm »
i'd leave the pollen where it is.  the bees need it to feed brood and they'll start raising brood before they can start gathering pollen. 
pollen in the air doesn't necessarily mean pollen that bees can gather. 
when i ran pollen traps after a few days i'd create a second entrance so some foragers would orient to it.  i got some pollen and the bees got some.

Offline edward

  • Queen Bee
  • ****
  • Posts: 1203
  • Gender: Male
Re: Tips for cleaning pollen bound frames?
« Reply #10 on: December 02, 2013, 04:46:45 pm »
when i ran pollen traps after a few days i'd create a second entrance so some foragers would orient to it.  i got some pollen and the bees got some.

I have two Small side entrances every time I empty the pollen trap I open one and Close the other.

When the bees start bringing home fresh pollen they will throw out the old pollen.


mvh Edward  :-P

Offline edward

  • Queen Bee
  • ****
  • Posts: 1203
  • Gender: Male
Re: Tips for cleaning pollen bound frames?
« Reply #11 on: December 02, 2013, 04:49:56 pm »
If you have dearth you will probably need pollen to feed an active brood.

If you have Cold Winters the bees don't produce brood and don't need pollen throughout the Winter.


mvh Edward  :-P