Every spring I get flooded with messages like:
“I had a few hives that didn’t make it through the winter, but I’ve got some frames of honey left. Can I use them in a new hive this year?”
The short answer is yes, in most cases you can, but there are a few important things to consider first. This post will walk you through what to check for, how to store those frames in the meantime, and the best ways to repurpose or extract that honey if it’s safe.
Start with This: Why Did the Colony Die?
Before you touch the honey frames, your first job is to figure out (as best you can) why the colony died.
Was it just cold and the cluster got too small?
Were there signs of starvation or moisture issues?
Did the colony die suddenly, or did it slowly dwindle?
If you suspect any sort of disease — especially something like American Foulbrood (AFB) — you need to pause. AFB spores can survive in drawn comb and honey for up to 40 years. Reusing contaminated honey could infect your new bees and destroy another colony.
If you have any suspicion of AFB, do not reuse the frames. Burn them or follow proper decontamination protocols (which we’ll cover below).
How to Inspect the Frames for Disease
Here are some things to check:
✅ “Healthy” Deadout Signs:
- Cluster of bees still in the middle of frames
- Plenty of honey and pollen stores
- No off smells
- No blackened or greasy-looking comb
- No scale or sunken/punctured brood cappings
🚫 Concerning Signs:
- Foul smell when opening the hive
- Brood cells with melted-looking pupae
- Sunken, perforated cappings on old brood
- Ropey larval goo when you poke a cell with a stick (a sign of AFB)
If you’re not sure, take a sample photo or reach out to your local bee inspector or a trusted mentor before reusing any material.
Is It Sugar Syrup or Real Honey?
If your colony was fed heavily with sugar syrup in the fall, the frames may contain more syrup than true nectar-based honey. That’s not a dealbreaker — but it’s worth knowing.
Sugar syrup frames tend to crystalize more quickly and may ferment in storage. If they smell sour or foamy, don’t reuse them.
If you know the frames were built and filled during a nectar flow and you didn’t feed late in the year, you’re probably looking at real honey, which is ideal to reuse.
Best Option: Freeze It
Assuming the frames look clean and disease-free, the best thing you can do is:
- Wrap them in a trash bag or food-safe plastic
- Label them clearly (e.g., “Honey – Hive 3 – Feb 2025”)
- Stick them in the freezer
Freezing for at least 48 hours will kill any wax moth or small hive beetle eggs, and it keeps the honey fresh until your new bees arrive.
When it’s time to install your new bees, you can place those frames right into the brood box, especially if it’s a package install. They’ll use it immediately for fuel and comb building.
Alternative Option: Extract It
If the frames are full of real honey, you can extract it.
Here’s how:
- Use a warm room if the honey has crystalized (you don’t want to extract it cold)
- Run it through a double strainer to remove any debris
- Bottle and label clearly that it came from a deadout
- Don’t sell it to others. It’s just not worth taking chances. You must insist on providing only the best to your friends, family, and customers
- You can feed it back to your bees or use it in your own kitchen
Do not extract if:
- The frames are moldy
- They smell off
- Mice, rats, or other pests have gotten into the hive
- You’re unsure of the health history of the colony
Can You Boil or Clean Frames?
In some cases, like suspected AFB exposure, equipment can be sanitized, but the process is intense.
To kill AFB spores, some beekeepers:
- Boil woodenware in lye (sodium hydroxide) solution at specific concentrations
- Flame scorch the interior of hive bodies
- Completely destroy infected frames (AFB-infected comb should never be reused)
For most backyard beekeepers, it’s usually safer to discard questionable frames and keep clean equipment moving forward. Also remember that your beekeeping gear can transport AFB spores as well.
Final Thoughts
If your hive died and you’re staring at 5–10 beautiful frames of capped honey, don’t panic. Chances are, they’re perfectly safe to reuse as long as you inspect them thoroughly and store them properly.
I tell everyone in our Discord community the same thing:
Freeze them now, reuse them later, but always do your due diligence first. New bees on contaminated comb is a recipe for disaster.
Got frames you’re unsure about? Drop a photo in the discord room and we’ll take a look.
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