wax collapsed

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newportbuzz

Field Bee
Joined
Aug 11, 2010
Messages
846
Reaction score
1
Location
newport co,mayo ireland
Hive Type
National
Number of Hives
19 through the winter
hi i was just doing an inspection of one of my hives and came across a very worrying thing. a 3" section of comb containing capped brood collapsed there wasnt any signs of why.
It was in the middle of the brood nest i cleaned it up and it had the consistancy of mashed potatoes. It doesnt smell in any offensive way the larvae seem healthy ie pearly white .
The section was where a wire ran through but the wire was intact infact i had to pull the wax through the wire to remove the mess. neither of the two frames on either side show any signs like this ... the hive is fairly strong fresh queen july this year laying from wall to wall. i recently moved the hive in order to give the flying bees to a weak nuc which i am trying to get sorted could this have done it? im at a loss i dont think theres any disease that can do this. the main worry is the mashed potatoes consistancy as i expected it to be much more ridgid i took some brace comb from the same hive and this is strong compared to the stuff from the collapse any advise please and thanks
 
no sign of wax moth and the hive was heaving with bees i would have though the wax moth would have been shown what for in a buzy brood chamber at height of season.
 
about as far as i can get from a major port but i am on the seaside but the hive did come from within 20 miles of a major port what should i be looking out for??? thanks for the sujestion
edited
just looked up the symtoms and i highly doubt thats whats going on in the hive i have frozen the wax and larve that i removed ill see if i can get a pic up tomoro the wax wasnt slimy which it is suposed to be with the hive beetles
 
Last edited:
about as far as i can get from a major port but i am on the seaside but the hive did come from within 20 miles of a major port what should i be looking out for??? thanks for the sujestion
edited
just looked up the symtoms and i highly doubt thats whats going on in the hive i have frozen the wax and larve that i removed ill see if i can get a pic up tomoro the wax wasnt slimy which it is suposed to be with the hive beetles

Fera have a free shb booklet, similar to varroa booklet, beleive its availablee online also. Beetles much bigger than varroa, traps are correx panels on floor? They like the dark. Need checking after 3-4 days. Lets hope its not them.., or tropealaps! Forgotten symptoms of them and not at home to check.
 
Get the bee inpector out to have a look.
 
we dont have bee inspectors as far as i know we have a phone number for notafiable diseases but thats if as far as i know

wish we did tho.
 
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