Swarm question

[Kirk-o]

If a swarm of bees goes into a dead out hive with dead bees in the cells will the bees clean them out?
kirko

[pdmattox]

I would say yes. I also have put cleaned up frames with wax moth damage in the hives and they have it cleaned up and laying in them within a week.

[Sir Stungalot]

Last year I had a deadout- I set it back in the woods to deal with at another time (procrastination is my  middle name). It was robbed very badly and the remaining bees starved- yes, many dead bees- heads in the cells ect.

A couple months later (well, ok, I had forgotten about it) I stumbled across it...and it was booming! A swarm had moved in and was really going to town. I inspected it and it was clean. Turned out to be a great producer..in fact, one of my best last year; an amazing thing since it was a first season swarm. Hive is still going gang-busters now, even in winter.  So, yes, they will clean up the mess.

[Michael Bush]

Yes.  I have had them propolize a few of them, but mostly they clean them out.  :)