Curtis,

     I've had to deal with flooded hives in the past.  If you do still have a couple of nucs, they won't be able to clean up the frames that were flooded.  Eventually they will die out unless you feed them corn syrup or something else, especially since it sounds that many did die.  Also, the stress they have gone through will make them susceptible to disease so supplemental feed is a must ASAP.  Any frames that need work should be put on very strong colonies.  It will take a while to clean them up.  Don't wait for long or mold will start on them.  Also, if you wait until they dry the comb will turn black and hard and you will have to throw them or scrape them off, if you have that kind of foundation.  Don't know why but the dirty water leaves a residue on them that seems to harden and prevent the bees from doing anything with it, unless they are cleaned ASAP.  Usually the queen will get up on the top unless she was under an excluder, so I would guess you have a couple of nuc!
 s, but do
 check to make certain, she should be easy to find.  If you had clean frames I would just transfer on to them and leave the cleaning to strong hives.  I don't think it would be a bad idea to feed those strong colonies to help with the cleaning either.  I don't expect there is any kind of a honeyflow there in NJ.  Good luck.

Josh Jaros



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