Mouldy frames and dead bees

[Thimbles]

Hello Beekeeping Forum
I am a relatively new beekeper - this is my third year. I started with one National hive in year one - got that through the winter. It thrived in year two and I made a split last year to make a new colony.
Both hives seemed to have made it through the winter, with increasing bee activity on warm days including pollen going into both hives. But my 'new' hive was definitely more active than my 'old' one.
Today I have opened them both up. The new hive is looking good. They had used all the fondant I gave them in the winter and they are busy with brood. I cleaned up dead bees off the floor and put them back together.
The old hive looked OK on top, but as I got down into it, I found mould on the frames and more and more dead bees. I took out the really mouldy frames that were in the super I had on the bottom - but there are mouldy frames in the brood box too - although the warmer (southern) side of that still seems to have active bees on it.
So what to do? Am I OK to clean up as best I can, put some new clean brood frames into the brood and see if they can build back up? Do they need any special feeding or attention?
Many thanks

 

[Poly Hive]

Does this troubling hive have brood?

PH

 

[Thimbles]

I need to check. As I say, I have been watching pollen go in for some time on good foraging days - so I have been assuming that they are feeding something. But I closed the hive up today without going right through the brood box. Will look again tomorrow and have some fresh brood frames at the ready to replace the mouldy ones.

 

[Erichalfbee]

If they are small in number but there is brood have you a poly nuc box they can go into?

 

[Millet]

Could brood + Half be causing too much space for a small colony to keep warm and take care of.. ? .

 

[drex]

That is what I usually find is the case, too few bees in too big a box. As suggested if you do have some brood I would put them in a smaller warmer box, just shifting the sound frames. Yes, feed if low on stores but you say they are foraging ( bringing in pollen) . Normally a decent sized colony would clean up the frames themselves

 

[Poly Hive]

The very first thing that needs checking is whether or not there is brood of any sort. The rest follows on from that.

PH

 

[Thimbles]

Yes indeed - maybe too much space for them if they declined in the winter. Very good advice. I will check for brood and get them into a poly nuc (I do have one) with some extra feed. Would people advise spring mix syrup or pollen cake or what?
And do I take it from the replies that the mould is not a deadly thing in itself and, if I can keep the bees going, we can clean up and carry on?
Many thanks everyone.

 

[Thimbles]

And just to take the story along a bit in case anyone is interested . . .
Yes, there is brood - and newly emerging worker bees. In fact, when I got back into the hive, it looked much better. There were bees on more frames in the brood box and they were starting a clean-up operation of their own. So I have left them where they are, with new clean frames to replace the worst of the mouldy ones, with some fondant on top and much less space. Let's see if they can come back - they looked nice and busy yesterday in the sunshine.
Learning point: I thought I was being 'generous' leaving them a whole extra super of honey for the winter - but really I just gave them too much cold damp space to keep warm. I won't do that again.
And I also have my concerns about oxalic acid varroa treatment - but I'll go to anther thread for that . . .
Thanks again, beekeepers.

 

[psafloyd]

If mouldy, did you have your varroa inspection board in over winter?

Hello Beekeeping Forum
I am a relatively new beekeper - this is my third year. I started with one National hive in year one - got that through the winter. It thrived in year two and I made a split last year to make a new colony.
Both hives seemed to have made it through the winter, with increasing bee activity on warm days including pollen going into both hives. But my 'new' hive was definitely more active than my 'old' one.
Today I have opened them both up. The new hive is looking good. They had used all the fondant I gave them in the winter and they are busy with brood. I cleaned up dead bees off the floor and put them back together.
The old hive looked OK on top, but as I got down into it, I found mould on the frames and more and more dead bees. I took out the really mouldy frames that were in the super I had on the bottom - but there are mouldy frames in the brood box too - although the warmer (southern) side of that still seems to have active bees on it.
So what to do? Am I OK to clean up as best I can, put some new clean brood frames into the brood and see if they can build back up? Do they need any special feeding or attention?
Many thanks