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Thread: EFB & cell cleaning questions

  1. #11
    Senior Member busybeephilip's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jon View Post
    But as others have noted above, the old cocoons get cleaned out every now and again.
    As you say now and again, the images clearly show many generations of brood rearing have occurred with the real possibility of nosema spores, virus diseases and bacterial diseases lurking between the numerous layers of moults. I agree that now and again, like as in several years, the bees might rip down old black comb and rebuild it and so spreading anything that is hiding there through out the hive. Also, to equalize hive strengths, (eg in queen rearing many beeks will rearrange combs transferring excess to nucs or whatever) many persons will move frames between hives and so spreading any disease that might be there.

    I still endorse a 3 year brood frame change as a sensible beekeeping practice, after all a sheet of foundation only costs about 90p and with so much AFB around at the present time everyone should be adhering to this basic practice.

  2. #12
    Senior Member Jon's Avatar
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    A cell could easily have 10 generations of workers reared in it during a single season. If the cocoons were not removed your workers would be the size of ants by September!

  3. #13

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    Thanks, so the consensus is that they remove as much material as they need to keep the cell size viable.
    & don't worry about where the EFB might hide in the adult as they get exposed to enough to infect them as they perform
    their house cleaning chores anyway

  4. #14

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    Cl4U = You really ought to write a book & pass on your knowledge & experiences. (not jesting in any way here) Have you considered getting it all down on print to help new & not so new beekeepers? Appreciate that you've a lot on the go but it would be a shame not to get it all down on print

  5. #15
    Senior Member busybeephilip's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jon View Post
    A cell could easily have 10 generations of workers reared in it during a single season. If the cocoons were not removed your workers would be the size of ants by September!
    In that picture there is a lot more than 10 or even 30, I know I would not be happy using comb like that.

  6. #16
    Senior Member prakel's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by busybeephilip View Post
    I know I would not be happy using comb like that.
    I agree, it simply makes no sense to keep brood comb longterm when there's no need to do so. As descussed on another recent(ish) thread, I'm now a convert to changing out comb. The effects of age on comb are perhaps never more evident than when we reclaim the wax.

  7. #17
    Senior Member Jon's Avatar
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    Acetic acid fumes should kill of everything apart from AFB spores.

  8. #18
    Senior Member Jon's Avatar
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    but yes,new comb is the best option.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jon View Post
    but yes,new comb is the best option.
    Not according to the bees, given the choice they prefer to rework old comb than building fresh, time after time if given the option we all know what they choose.
    Shouldnt we be listening to them?

  10. #20
    Senior Member busybeephilip's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jon View Post
    Acetic acid fumes should kill of everything apart from AFB spores.
    Its not so easy to get acetic acid at 80% in your local chemist

    Digges used formalin ! and that was during the Irish black bee era, its hard to get too, maybe they use it for greenhouse fumigation
    Last edited by busybeephilip; 26-02-2016 at 01:08 AM.

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