Mould and other stuff found on inspection today

[JohnnyD]

Hi All

Just been into the hive and swapped brood and super round, the queen is alive but there were a lot of mouldy frames, and no bees on the outer 2 frames, i have enclosed some pics, can anyone tell me if this is normal, i have removed the frames you see photoes of, and replaced new ones on the ends of the brood. There was no activity in the super at all, i am a little worried.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/62897391@N08/

Many Thanks

JD

 

[enrico]

In my humble opinion, mould is from damp pollen and I would remove bad frames and let bees clean the rest...... Oh you have done, well done. It is early for the bees to be in the super as well as the brood. Give them time. Patience is the name of the game at this time of th year. As long a they have food and brood you are likely to be on a winner.
E

 

[burren]

you know enrico, you are just like your avatar
yep agree, I had a hive like that last year on first inspection and you do panic a bit, new clean frames on ends, good.

 

[MuswellMetro]

Hi All

Just been into the hive and swapped brood and super round, the queen is alive but there were a lot of mouldy frames, and no bees on the outer 2 frames, i have enclosed some pics, can anyone tell me if this is normal, i have removed the frames you see photoes of, and replaced new ones on the ends of the brood. There was no activity in the super at all, i am a little worried.

[
JD

rather than remove all the frame, you could have just scrapped away the mould to the mid rib and the bees would rebiuld

However you need to ask your self why the hive was so cold and damp that it went moudly

so a few questions...before wec can help you more.

1) swapped the super around, ok were was it to start with ,under of over the brood

2) what was the purpose of this super over winter, ie did it contain stores or did you just leave an empty super on the hive

3) are you on an open mesh floor or solid floors

4) did you add any insulation above the crown board

5) did you cover the porter escapes in the crown board, matchstick?, if on OMF was the varroa board in all winter



i would supsect many of us on here ,do not have supers on over winter at all....just a floor,brood and roof ( +-insulation/extra ventilation)