whopping big fire!

beeswax/frames are REALLY flammable!  no - this isn't the result of some big tragedy in the beehouse.....

i burned a bunch of frames last night.  i had one hive get into a wax moth situation "late" in the year.  (the result was that the bees left this hive! to where? no swarm - by attrition - i think they probably moved next door)  i left the frames sit out and get exposed to FREEZING temperatures this winter...but - what freezing temperatures?.

i was in a THROW AWAY MOOD last night and just made up my mind for the EASE and relatively CHEAP COST of building new frames.....in the wheelbarrow they went....and out to the fire pit.

wax moths are GROSS...what a mess.

SO - while i was at it....i went through other "old boxes" of frames i had around...and OUT WITH THE BLACKENED FOUNDATION TOO! (i kept only a few of the VERY BEST LOOKING of these).  a comment made by our state of wisconsin bee inspector was ringing in my ears...."THE HEALTHIEST BEES I SEE - ARE ON NEW FOUNDATION - IN NEW EQUIPMENT".  as this is the 5th season for some of these frames....out with the "environmental buildup".

now...I CAN'T WAIT to split the hives - i've got all kinds of "clean" equipment to install them in.  i've been just holding off for the TEMPERATURES....it's still getting cold at night.  i don't want to do too much messing around with brood nests!  i think i've decided on what TYPE of split i'm going to do.  i'm going to FRANKEN-SPLIT them...into a single deep.  FRANKEN split is that i'm going to take the "material" from the split from "whichever" hives.  (AFTER locating and securing the queens of course).  it's like starting with your own package (minus a queen - i'm going to let them make one).  if i get into them and there's not enough material to steel yet...i'm going to have my two chamber nuc on hand.  i modified a standard deep last year - into (2) 5 frame nucs.

i'm also going to go down to 9 frames in every box.  i want more "room".  AND as long as i'm messing around with frames.  i'm going to install SUPER FRAMES in positions 3 and 7 - yes.....they'll be short!...the bees will make DRONE COMB on the bottom of these...and i'll start my DRONE TRAPPING this year.  that's the "removal" of drone comb - to prevent varroa buildup.

big experimentation going on in the beeyard this year!