Mice chewed comb

[John Thompson]

So going through my drawn comb stored in my shed, I found the mice somehow got up into the loft, and made themselves comfortable. Looks like they went after pollen and dried nectar. Didn't think about repellents and traps. 
My mediums were untouched, but I didn't unstack all the boxes. 

So after sorting through the frames, it looks like most of them are usable as is, about 16 are "maybe", and 6 (all wax) need new foundation. 

So my question is about the "maybes". Both wax and plastic foundation. In the case of the plastic, I would up scraping large area, and was wondering if the bees will build them up again as-is. 

For the wax, will the bees work with whats left and build up from there, or should I scrap and put in new foundation? 

I've got piles of chewed up comb in my shed now, and can't render it because of all the mouse poop. It's all over the place, having fallen through the slats in the loft. 

[jeanne hansen]

A friend I worked with often simply scraped areas of bad comb off the plastic foundation, and stuck the combs back in the hives.  The bees fixed it up.

I myself have often put mouse-chewed combs with holes in the wax foundation back into the hive.  The bees do NOT always repair the holes to make a nice, full comb.  They often put burr comb into the hole, or otherwise work with it as they see fit.  It is much better than no combs at all, but those are the combs I cull the next year.

You say you can't render the chewed-up combs in your shed, because of all the mouse poop - do you mean those dry droppings??  Or do you mean black, dried-up yuck that looks like paint?  That black stuff easily washes away in water.  Plunge the mass of combs into a big bucket, and rinse several times.  For the dry droppings, pick the wax out as best you can.  Then on some nice bright days, process those combs in your solar wax melter to obtain wax for candles!  

Wax is valuable.  If you don't want it, I would be happy to take it off your hands and do the rendering.  Phone me at the number below.

Jeanne Hansen

824 Jacobson Ave

Madison, WI 53714

608-244-5094

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[Greg V]

If you have a solar wax melter, you might as well melt it (yuck and all).

If you don't have one, good excuse to make it.

I melt all kinds of stuff, not a problem (not a kitchen project).

The solar melter gets so hot, you can cook in it.

Last year in October I meant to keep the late green tomatoes "warm" in the melter so have them ripened.

Well I cooked them.

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[John Thompson]

I'm talking about the wax "crumbs" the mice chewed away or clawed out, fell to the bottom of whatever, and is mixed in with real, honest to goodness mouse poop. Plus dust and whatever else was on the floor when swept up. 

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[BETSY TRUE]

Sounds like wax to use for candles and NOT lip balm.

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From: mad...@googlegroups.com <mad...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of johntho...@gmail.com <johntho...@gmail.com>
Sent: Saturday, April 24, 2021 6:24:53 PM
To: mad...@googlegroups.com <mad...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [madbees] Mice chewed comb

 

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[Math Heinzel]

If there is enugh to bother with, put it in a bucket of water, the wax will float, and the rest will (eventually) sink.

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[Paul Zelenski]

I’ve often taken this kind of wax ‘sawdust’ and rendered it. If there’s enough to sweep up, it’ll work just fine. If it’s just a handful, not worth the effort. A solar wax melter works wonderful for this type of thing. Otherwise, adding it to boiling water will work, or even washing it in water before rendering it. There are plenty of ways to use it, just a question of whether it’s worth the effort for you. If not, sounds like Jeanne would be happy to take it off your hands.

 

As for the comb …

It really depends how much they destroyed it what you need to do to repair it. Basically if they chewed anything short of the midrib (foundation) and there is still any pattern of cells, its really just extra formed foundation. Put it in the hive the way it is, and the bees will draw it back out.

If they’ve eaten actual holes in it, I’d try to put it between brood frames and they are likely to repair it with decent comb as opposed to burr comb. There is a good chance, however, that they’ll fill it with drone comb, depending on the season and the state of the hive. Most hives that use foundation are starved for drone comb and put it anywhere they get the chance. I tried to use foundationless frames for comb honey and ended up with a box of drones.

If, you have plastic foundation and the mice have chewed it flat (removed the ‘foundation’ pattern of cells), the bees won’t use it. It’s like putting a flat piece of plastic in the hive. They’ll just ignore it and build out the neighboring comb. I suppose you could cut a hole there if you really wanted. Or just throw that sheet away and add a new piece of plastic foundation to the wooden frame.

Of course in any case, you can always add new foundation to reuse the wooden frame. If you do, a solar wax melter is a great way to render all that comb. Sounds like getting a solar wax melter is you’re next project 😉

 

 

From: Math Heinzel
Sent: Saturday, April 24, 2021 7:00 PM
To: 'jeanne hansen' via madbees
Subject: Re: [madbees] Mice chewed comb

 

If there is enugh to bother with, put it in a bucket of water, the wax will float, and the rest will (eventually) sink.

 

 

On  April24, 2021, at 6:52 PM, 'BETSY TRUE' via madbees <mad...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

 

Sounds like wax to use for candles and NOT lip balm.

 

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[John Thompson]

I wound up putting the sweepings in my compost pile. It was about a quarts worth, including the other "ingredients". 

The mice didn't chew the plastic foundation flat, fortunately. 

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