REGARDING           Reuse of old good frames
 
Jeffrey Tooker writes:
"I have several deep hive bodies which I got from my brother.  They are in
reasonably good shape.  He has not used them for a couple of years, and I
do not know their history. I can repaint the outsides but I do not know
what to do hygenically for the inside. (I hope the answer is not kitchen
matches)"
 
Before deciding to reuse frames, check them for AFB scales by holding them so
that light shines on the lower surfaces of the cells.  AFB scales show up as
dark concave flat things in contaminated cells.  If you see these, or if there
are scattered capped cells with punctured surfaces, then put them to the
match.  Otherwise, they are perfectly good for reuse.  Bees will clean up an
incredible amount of dirt, mold, dead bees, etc.,  and will even fix up frames
damaged by mice.  However, they do not like frames damaged by wax moths,
unless it is very minor.  These I usually burn, if I am so careless as to let
moths into a dead hive.
 
Ted Fischer