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Author Topic: Storing supers  (Read 5357 times)

Offline FredBorn

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Storing supers
« on: June 21, 2005, 08:07:25 pm »
I just finished extracting some supers.

I then put them on my hives, which still have supers with uncapped frames, between the inner and outer covers to let the bees clean them up.

Question; After being cleaned how do you store the supers with drawn comb so that the SHB and wax moths don't destroy it?

I have too mant to leave on the hives for the bees to watch.

Thanks for any ideas.

fred, citrus county Florida

Offline leominsterbeeman

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Storing supers
« Reply #1 on: June 21, 2005, 09:14:39 pm »
Is the honey flow over and you don't expect to get any more ?

You must store them protected from heat and sun and water.
 Store them with PDB moth crystals .    I place an aluminum tray on
top of the frames of the super and sprinkle the PDB crystals on the
tray.   They will disinergrate over time.

From the Mann-Lake Site:
Para-Moth® Wax Moth Control  
Para-Moth® is used to control wax moths in stored supers.  Place 3 oz. (6 tablespoons) on a paper plate and place on top bars of uppermost super.  Stack 5 deep supers or 9 shallow supers and cover with a tarp.  Do not use in the hive or with cut comb honey or un-extracted combs of  honey.  FOLLOW DIRECTIONS ACCORDINGLY. Not  EPA registered in California. #61671-2.

http://www.mannlakeltd.com/catalog/page41.htm  

DO NOT USE NAPTH moth crystals.  This will be absorbed by
the wax.
Michael Keane
leominsterbeeman@comcast.net
http://www.leominsterbeeman.com

Offline latebee

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Storing supers
« Reply #2 on: June 21, 2005, 11:53:09 pm »
Right now I only have 5 hives going fo a couple of years. After the bees clean up the frames I put them in a big old energy hog of a freezer my nieghbor gave me and freeze them for two days. Then I unplug the freezer and store the supers- comb and all till I need them next year. Never had a wax moth problem using this option. I am sure that it would not be practical on a large scale operation though.
The person who walks in another's tracks leaves NO footprints.

Offline Finsky

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Storing supers
« Reply #3 on: June 22, 2005, 01:34:41 am »
Quote from: latebee
Right now I only have 5 hives going fo a couple of years. After the bees clean up the frames I put them in a big old energy hog of a freezer my nieghbor gave me and freeze them for two days. Then I unplug the freezer and store the supers- comb and all till I need them next year. .


Better keep out of this idea even if you have a couple of hives.

Offline Miss Chick-a-BEE

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Storing supers
« Reply #4 on: June 22, 2005, 08:53:42 am »
You are thinking - after the honey flow - right? I know you said you extracted now (that's all fine), but you'll leave them for the honey flow - correct?

I've stored mine in a freezer, and also in a plastic bag in a cool dry spot.

Beth

Offline Daddy-T

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Storing supers
« Reply #5 on: June 22, 2005, 10:08:01 am »
Beth,
         You put all of your empty honey supers in the freezer? I have an extra super large lowboy freezer in the garage that would work for that. That is a brilliant idea!!!! then we don't have to worry about any pests.....LOL   :P
          I am going to try that. What wont fit I am just going to stack on the floor in the garage and put moth crystals in them and keep them sealed up tight……..

Thanks,
            Tim
Pass it on to the kids

Offline Finsky

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Storing supers
« Reply #6 on: June 22, 2005, 10:33:20 am »
In Finland many use  asetic acid as conservation gas.
Boxes are piled inside plastic foil tube and 100% asetic acid is poured inside.

When they take boxes into use, asetic acid is evaporated away.  When bag is sealed tightly, now waxmoth or buggies can go in.

But I read that when I take pollen frames from hive, ist is best to put into freezer, because many kinds of buggies start to eat it very qyuclky. An mice like it. I have seen that in my work.

But it is really expensive to keep stuff in the freezer.

Offline Miss Chick-a-BEE

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Storing supers
« Reply #7 on: June 22, 2005, 11:33:19 am »
It's not that expensive. Atleast not for us. Don't know about another country. We're already using the large freezer for meats and such. But it has enough left over space to store up to 30 frames in ours.

Beth

Offline Finsky

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Storing supers
« Reply #8 on: June 22, 2005, 12:30:20 pm »
Quote from: Miss Chick-a-BEE
It's not that expensive. Atleast not for us. Don't know about another country. We're already using the large freezer for meats and such. But it has enough left over space to store up to 30 frames in ours.

Beth


I have about 15 hives. Each hive has  50-60=750-900 frames to be stored over winter.  30 frames is half of one hive's need. I have just a hobby.

 In you country they have 700 hives per beekeeper. Where they put they frames?

Offline Oyster

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Storing Supers using imirie shim
« Reply #9 on: June 22, 2005, 02:49:42 pm »
Stack supers and seal edges and bottom to make airtight.  Place imirie shim on topmost super (seal the cutout to make air tight).  Place a paper plate on the frames of the top super and add approx 6 tablespoons (or 3 ounces) of moth balls containing paradichlorobenzene (PDB, do not use naphthalene, as its fumes are absorbed by the wax) in the paper plate.  Cover with plywood or other material and seal edges to make top airtight.  Check moth balls every 3 weeks or so, and refill as necessary.  Air out supers completely before reuse.

Only stack the equivalent of 10 shallow supers or 5 hive bodies per stack.
Oyster
Concord, CA  (San Francisco Bay Area)

Offline latebee

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Storing supers
« Reply #10 on: June 22, 2005, 11:36:03 pm »
Yes Beth I am sorry I did not say what I meant. After the the frames are extracted and cleaned up by the bees in late September I put them in an old humongus freezer. Plug it in for two days, then on the third day I disconnect it  from electricity and leave the frames in the medium supers (inside the freezer) there untill they are needed the following season. So far no problems. And to answer your question Finman this is an extra freezer in my garage that I only use for quick chill when butchering or to store my frames. It is only required to be below zero fahrenheit for 48 hours to kill the pests,then you can unplug it and since it is sealed no new critters can get at the frames and wax. Since I am only a hobby type beekeeper with s few hives this works,and no chemicals involved. I think the electric for the two days might cost around $0.75 U.S.(three quarters of a dollar),really not very costly.
The person who walks in another's tracks leaves NO footprints.

Offline Stingtarget

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Storing supers
« Reply #11 on: June 23, 2005, 12:26:58 am »
If you don't have a freezer to store your supers in, put them in large plastic trash bags and seal them up with a tight knot.  Place them in the freezer for 48 hours and then remove.  Leave supers in the same sealed garbage bag until ready for use next year.  Store them somewhere and you can still use your freezer.  Yes, I'm a rookie....passing along info learned at bee club.

 

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