MillerThousand AnswersBeekeepingQuestions.pdf - BioBees

THOUSAND ANSWERS 95i. e.,_ those showing no signs of foulbrood, if purchased in a lotof hives, part of which I suspected were infected?A. There is danger. Don't use them unless you keep a closewatch.Q. Are combs that have contained American foulbrood, andlater filled with honey by a diseased colony, then extracted, safeto use again on healthy colonies over queen-excluders?A. No. Never use again combs which have been in a colonywhich had American foulbrood.Q. Are extracting-supers that have been used on hives infectedwith American foulbrood, after being extracted, safe to useon healthy colonies?A. Some say_ yes, some say no. I suspect that the truth isthat sometimes the disease is thereby conveyed, and sometimesnot. It will be the safe thing to avoid using them.Q. What is the best method to treat brood-combs so as to bedoubly sure that there will be no chances of foulbrood gettinginto the apiary from those bought brood-combs? I have a chanceto buy old combs.A. I don't know of any way. At one time it was claimedthat formaldehyde would disinfect them, but I think that is givenup. Your only safe way is to buy them where you know there hasbeen no disease.Q. Please tell us when we shake on foundation for foulbroodwhether the frames should be new, or can we cut the old combout clean and use the frames again? I don't want to buy framesfor 50 hives if it is unnecessary.A. Generally it is considered best to burn up the old frames,but when one has so large a number as you have I think it paysto clean them up and use again. At any rate, that is what I didwith quite a number. After cutting out the combs, I put theframes into a big iron kettle holding half a barrel of water intowhich was put two pounds of concentrated lye. The water, ofcourse, was heated, and the frames were kept in the kettle untilall wax and glue was melted ofif.cold water to get offthe lye.Then the frames were rinsed inQ. Is honey from a foulbroody colony fit for table use? Inever heard of any foulbrood in this neighborhood and there arelots of bees here.A. If nice and clean in appearance it is all right. Foulbroodyhoney that is death to bees' larvae is entirely wholesome forhuman beings.Q. After shaking one or more colonies of bees that had