Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: hollybees on March 28, 2010, 12:09:42 PM

Title: Moldy Hives
Post by: hollybees on March 28, 2010, 12:09:42 PM
Hello Everyone,

I opened up the hives after a long winter and found a lot of mold in 2 of the 3 hives I have...some of it black. (all in the northwest corner of the supers)
Their was still lots of capped honey left and it has mold on it.
I probably have 40lbs of it and I don't want it to go to waste of course, so can anyone suggest how to clean it off.

I will just put it in the freezer and save to feed back to them as long as I can be sure it's safe.

Haven't posted for a long while...good to be back!  8-)

Thanks to all
I hope your bees are well,
Paul
Title: Re: Moldy Hives
Post by: Irwin on March 28, 2010, 12:14:41 PM
The bees will clean it up you should be fine :-D Don't worry bee happy that you still got bees.
Title: Re: Moldy Hives
Post by: David LaFerney on March 28, 2010, 12:51:07 PM
I have a little bit of the same thing, and I take it to indicate that there is too much moisture in the hive.
Title: Re: Moldy Hives
Post by: hollybees on March 28, 2010, 08:12:11 PM
The mold was pretty bad and the hive's numbers are low it was my strongest hive going into winter.
I pulled off the moldy supers and put them down to one until they get stronger.
Erwin I didn't know the bees would clean it up thanks.
I'm going to brush and scrape off the worst of it and give it back to them later.

Thanks,
Paul
Title: Re: Moldy Hives
Post by: Sparky on March 28, 2010, 08:40:09 PM
Probably a combination of to much moisture and not enough ventilation. Both could have been solved by the additional ventilation. I would freeze the frames first before giving them to the bees to clean off.