Mould in the brood box

[RayN]

Hi,
I'm a new beek and this is my first winter. I very briefly opened my hive today and found a couple of the frames in the brood box had mould - a few patches of 2 -3 inches across.
Is this something I should worry about? Do I need to do anything to get rid of it - if so, what?

Thanks in advance.

 

[oliver90owner]

Solid floor? Insufficient ventilation. Very diffcult to get it right, if that is the case.

Some damp areas in the hive would indicate cold spots, so condensation occured, or maybe a leak.

Could be late feed not quite processed and fermenting a little?

Tell us more of your actual conditions - it may help other new beeks to avoid your scenario.

If the hive is now dry the bees will soon clean up the house as the brood expands. So should be alright if bees are flying strongly when warm.

Regards, RAB

 

[RayN]

The hive has a mesh floor on top of a solid floor. I use the gap between the mesh and the solid floor for a varroa board. It's located in a shaded part of my garden so in retrospcet I don't think this has helped.

The bees are flying when warm and gathering bright yellow pollen.

...and I suspect it could be late feed that has gone off although I didn't notice any fermenting smell.

 

[oliver90owner]

How was it over-wintered? Brood only, brood and a super, top ventilation or not, insulation levels, amount of bottom ventilation, a strong colony now?

I overwinter on an 'open' mesh floor, on equivalent to a brood + a super of stores, with top insulation and no top ventilation at all. Works for me and a lot of other beeks. Some have insulation added at the sides, too.

Regards, RAB

 

[mbc]

I dont worry too much about a bit of mold. When the bees expand onto these frames they'll clean them up much better than any beekeeper could. If the frames are badly drawn or very old it may be an oportunity of replacing them with fresh foundation but I find it amazing how quickly a good colony can turn manky moldy looking frames into lovely brood frames once the weather gets going

 

[Finman]

Hi,
I'm a new beek and this is my first winter. I very briefly opened my hive today and found a couple of the frames in the brood box had mould - a few patches of 2 -3 inches across.
.

Very normal. Don't worry about that.

 

[RayN]

Thanks for the help and reassurance everyone.

For the record, it was a small colony - in effect a nuc in a divided brood box. No supers.
No top ventilation.
Insulation only for about 4 weeks during the coldest spell. the insulation didn't cover the vents in the roof, the entrance or the varroa board slot at the back of the hive.