Hi.
 
        This weekend I opened a beeyard I keep in Southern Maine (USDA Zone
        6).  The plan was to remove the winter protection on the hives, repair
        any damage and install four new hives of package bees.  It was my
        intentention to "quickstart" the brand new hives with a few drawn-out
        frames from the existing hives.
 
        All the hives survived the winter.  However there was alot of blue-
        green mold on the frames of the bottom deep supers and the bottom
        boards.  I suspect I was over zealous in wrapping the hives and a
        moisture problem developed.  I've never seen this much mold in hives.
 
        I was able to scrape the bottom boards clean, but, I was going to
        reverse them (to their higher entranced "seasonal"side) anyway.  The
        problem I have is with the moldly frames.  I did not want to use them
        with the new hives.  I was concerned the new hives might be too weak
        at first to handle any disease or parasites associated with them.
 
        Eventually, I replaced the mouldiest frames with new spares I was
        carrying.  But, I had to use far fewer drawn-out frames (the best
        of the lot from the in-place hives bottom supers) then I would have
        preferred in the new hives.
 
        My question is what can I do with these moldy frames?  Can they be
        cleaned?  Was I being over cautious?  Should they be destroyed?  They
        are all Permadent(tm), so I'd like to save them if possible.  Please
        advise.
 
        PLEASE RESPOND VIA E-MAIL.  I WILL REPOST A SUMMARY WITH APPROPRIATE
        CREDITS.
 
        jps
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