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Author Topic: What to do when brood comb gets too old? (very dark from use)  (Read 2764 times)

Offline Bee Happy

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one of my two strong hives has some very old brood comb in it, almost black. I guess my two questions are: Should I be concerned about the age of the comb? and If I should replace it for sanitary reasons, how and when should I do it?
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Offline DBoire

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Re: What to do when brood comb gets too old? (very dark from use)
« Reply #1 on: March 16, 2010, 07:29:56 pm »
When you hold it up against the direct light, if you can see light use it.  If not melt it down and sell it to yuppies as candles. :lau:

Offline Scadsobees

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Re: What to do when brood comb gets too old? (very dark from use)
« Reply #2 on: March 16, 2010, 09:49:09 pm »
If you have swarm traps you can use it as a lure.  Just don't leave it in there too long, the wax moths love it too.

Or just burn it/dump it, it has too many cocoons to make it worth rendering.  Mostly cocoons less wax.

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Offline riverrat

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Re: What to do when brood comb gets too old? (very dark from use)
« Reply #3 on: March 16, 2010, 10:58:09 pm »
rotate it to the outside frames then replace it nd use it in a swarm trap
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Offline Michael Bush

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Re: What to do when brood comb gets too old? (very dark from use)
« Reply #4 on: March 16, 2010, 11:21:25 pm »
>Should I be concerned about the age of the comb?

IMO no.

> and If I should replace it for sanitary reasons, how and when should I do it?

When it's empty.
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Offline Bee Happy

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Re: What to do when brood comb gets too old? (very dark from use)
« Reply #5 on: March 17, 2010, 12:33:01 am »
Thanks for the answers, I think I may have asked a version of this same question before, you won't see it a third time from me.
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Offline D Coates

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Re: What to do when brood comb gets too old? (very dark from use)
« Reply #6 on: March 17, 2010, 01:57:20 pm »
>Should I be concerned about the age of the comb?

IMO no.

I've wondered about that myself.
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Offline asciibaron

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Re: What to do when brood comb gets too old? (very dark from use)
« Reply #7 on: March 18, 2010, 09:11:07 am »
i have been told that wax should be replaced every 5 years to avoid pesticide and other chemical build up - i crush and strain and do cut comb, so the honey supers always have fresh wax, but the brood chamber is all old stuff.