dead out frame storage

[goertzen29]

I know this question has been asked and I know the standard answer is freeze frames of capped honey to feed later on....but

I do not have freezer space, will they be fine just staying in the hives, should I seal the hives up?

There is alot of uncapped honey, should I worry about it fermenting, and will it hurt being fed to my new packages in April? (I am thinking it is likely 2:1 syrup fed too late last fall)?

What about crystallized honey/syrup, when the weather warms are bees able to use that too?

And one final question:  Will I be inviting wax moth into these unguarded hives this early in the season in Nebraska?  I have packages ordered so by mid April both these hives should be inhabited with bees again.

thanks for the advice,
Jay

[Countryboy]

I don't know what your weather is like there, but here, the weather outside hasn't been that much different from the weather inside a freezer.

Once the weather turns warmer, you 'might' have to deal with other bees trying to rob it out.  However, most overwintered colonies won't have enough bees to do much damage with robbing.  By the time other colonies are up to strength, you will have new bees in these hives.

I'd make sure the hives are closed up enough that you can keep mice out, but other than that, I wouldn't worry about it.  It's too cold for robbing or wax moths or much fermentation.

[Brian D. Bray]

Seal the hives, otherwise hives within forage distance will rob out the honey.
Capped honey will not ferment in the cells for quite awhile, uncapped honey will frement quickly if not robbed out.
Uncapped honey is a magnet for robber bees plus other critters than dine on honey.
Bees can utilize sugared (crystalized honey) without problems, they will forage for water and reconstitute it.
About Wax Moths, yes, brood frames are their main source of diet within the hive, but they will consume sugared honey, pollen, and combs as well.

If you can keep the critters out of the hives you may be alright.  But be prepared for all your efforts to seal and protect the hives to fail.  Of course you could wrap each hive liberally with suran wrap and even keep the air out.

[goertzen29]

If the uncapped honey starts to ferment will the bees get sick if they eat it or will they clean it out?  The problem is I have 30+ frames of mostly unsealed honey, and some is quite runny.  I can't really get it out and these drawn frames are quite valuable to me as I'm only going into my third year so I don't have too many drawn combs.  Should I try running a fan over the frames to dry them out a bit like some people do in the summer to bring the moisture down? 

As far as robbing goes I only have one live hive so I'm not worried, in fact I was kinda hoping they'd rob out alot of the uncapped honey to supplement their own stores.   

[Countryboy]

If the uncapped honey starts to ferment will the bees get sick if they eat it or will they clean it out?

The bees will clean it out.