Mildew in honeycomb

[Novice B]

Hi,
I am new to this so bear with me!
I live in Portugal and am new to Bees.
Has anyone had mildew in their hives, actually on the honeycomb? I have 2 hives only 1 is partially affected with mildew.
Have learnt hard, as bad cases of varroa mites all winter & continuing now on a lesser scale. Have been treating the varroa mites with organic liquid. I also seem to have small black beetles as well as small clear larvae/worms and a rather big worm in the litter tray. I have pictures if needed. Here it is a bit difficult with the language barrier at the moment. Thanks for the help.

 

[MuswellMetro]

mildew could be lack of ventilation and or lack of insulation or colder hive (either location or construction material) or colder shaded site

any may be causing excessive condensation of water vapour

pollen on the edge of the hive often gets mildew, scrap back to the original foundation where the mildew is in the comb

beetles, hope it is not this one


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_hive_beetle


if it is, then we are all in trouble, however you would have hundereds of small caterpillars in the comb , hopefully your beetles are just just pollen beetles

the " big worm" will be wax moths caterpillars

https://secure.fera.defra.gov.uk/beebase/index.cfm?pageid=207

 

[Novice B]

Hi Muswell Metro,
Thanks for the info, really appreciated it.
Looks like wax moth caterpillars. The beetles aren't (thank goodness!!) the small hive beetle. Still trying to find out what they are.
Mould. We have had a dry (warmish days) but cold winter here -7 (night time), so it could be humidity/damp from frost.

 

[MuswellMetro]

Hi Muswell Metro,
Thanks for the info, really appreciated it.
Looks like wax moth caterpillars. The beetles aren't (thank goodness!!) the small hive beetle. Still trying to find out what they are.
Mould. We have had a dry (warmish days) but cold winter here -7 (night time), so it could be humidity/damp from frost.

try a 5cm or 10cm slab of polystyrene under roof the same size as your crown board next year, are you on open mesh floors or solid ( assume langstroth or dadant hives)