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Author Topic: Decontamination of old comb  (Read 533 times)

Offline Bill Murray

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Decontamination of old comb
« on: February 21, 2024, 08:25:05 pm »
So, here is the question. Can you render old comb and get the contaminants out?

I appreciate all input.

I guess this is what Im thinking. Why will the bees accept wax rendered from contaminated comb, after rendering if its still contaminated?

« Last Edit: February 21, 2024, 09:20:17 pm by Bill Murray »
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Offline Terri Yaki

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Re: Decontamination of old comb
« Reply #1 on: February 21, 2024, 10:53:13 pm »
Contaminated with what?
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Offline The15thMember

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Re: Decontamination of old comb
« Reply #2 on: February 21, 2024, 11:32:09 pm »
It depends on what it is contaminated with, I'd imagine.  And I expect that if the contaminant is in low enough quantity, the bees won't notice or care, but that doesn't necessarily mean it won't have sublethal effects on them or the brood. 
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Offline Michael Bush

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Re: Decontamination of old comb
« Reply #3 on: February 22, 2024, 06:41:03 am »
Fluvalinate (Apistan) and Cumaphos (CheckMite) break down in ultraviolet light.  So do a lot of (but not all) other pesticides.
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Offline Bill Murray

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Re: Decontamination of old comb
« Reply #4 on: February 22, 2024, 07:53:20 am »
That was what I was looking for, thank you Michael.
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Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Decontamination of old comb
« Reply #5 on: February 22, 2024, 08:18:38 am »
So using a solar wax melter as the first step in recovering the wax is a really good thing.
Thanks Michael.
Jim Altmiller
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Offline Michael Bush

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Re: Decontamination of old comb
« Reply #6 on: February 22, 2024, 08:47:49 am »
>So using a solar wax melter as the first step in recovering the wax is a really good thing.

Yes. 
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Offline Ben Framed

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Re: Decontamination of old comb
« Reply #7 on: February 22, 2024, 09:27:32 am »
Good to know Michale, thanks!
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Offline NigelP

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Re: Decontamination of old comb
« Reply #8 on: February 23, 2024, 09:43:53 am »
Glass absorbs a lot of UV light (the type hat gives you a sunburn (UVB). You cannot get a suntan through glass.
It does however let through some of UVA, so solar wax melters (with glass) may not be as good at ridding impurities in wax as full spectrum UV light.
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Offline Michael Bush

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Re: Decontamination of old comb
« Reply #9 on: February 23, 2024, 10:01:29 am »
When I was wax dipping PermaComb plastic combs I had a lot of wax that ended up in a thin layer on some plywood.  The sun would bleach it white in a short amount of time.  Anything that makes a thin layer and exposes it to the sun should make a difference.
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Offline NigelP

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Re: Decontamination of old comb
« Reply #10 on: February 23, 2024, 03:57:32 pm »
Yes, we do something similar to produce white beeswax. Cheese grater and lots of unfiltered sun and frequent turning.
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