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Going through a deadout hive I encountered this frame. It was part of a nuc I bought last Spring. I was looking for the reasons for the deadout and I found this stuff on the bottom bar in the corner. The picture doesn't quite show exactly what it looks like, but to my eyes it looks like deli mustard with a little bit of glitter mixed in. It is hard and a bit sticky like propolis. It's probably just propolis, but the glittery look to it seemed quite odd.
Did a mouse get in there?
Nope.
did you taste it? could be some really, really, old honey.
looks like the bees where trying to discourage a mouse with propolis
if there was no nest -I gusses it worked- :) RDY-B
The sunken cappings is what would worry me. Do a stick test on a few of those cappings and see what comes out and how.
I had to use a nail to dig out the sunken cappings...it's hard and solid all the way to the bottom of the cell...I'm thinkin' propolis.
once i found dead lizard in hive it was coverd in propolis-i always wondered if they stung it to death or it just died in there-RDY-B
The bix....Not sure if you want to hear this, but as a nuc producer, I would be ashamed to pass on a frame like this to ANYBODY in a nuc sale.
The comb is charcoal black, has been repaired a number of time from mice chewing or moth damage, the frame look riddled with holes on the side (wax moth damage) and looking at this comb and what your asking, could be from any number of things from the past 20-30 years of history of this frame.
Encapsulated pollen, and hardened pollen, could be signs of contaminated pollen and bee bread that lack the proper enzymes and bacteria required for bee health. (Which may be a contributing factor to CDD)
Anyways, get rid of that old comb. It acts as a sponge for chemicals and most old comb is not healthy for bees.
For the record, I almost never see "greasy" woodenware or wax in a healthy hive. That type frame is usually seen in deadout hives.
Find another nuc producer. ;)
Thanks Bjorn. I have another frame or two that look like that in another hive that was from the same nuc producer. I will replace as soon as I am able. I doubt I'll be buying any more nucs anyway, but should I need to I will examine the comb a little better before I drop the cash down.
+1 on the propolis. Seems to me that propolis can have multiple tree sources, especially since bees will reuse it, and that might contribute to the "glitter". I've had hives that built a propolis wall almost all the way across the front entrance. Yeah, that gets on the frames.
Bjorn, question on the frame. To me it looks quite old, a bit wavy (seems somewhat normal for wax foundation), and the hole looks like a communication hole to me. But if it were a full capped frame of honey, would it really be that bad? Other than a bad value, that is, assuming a frame exchange, since it would need to be rotated out fairly soon.
Scads,
Whether it is filled with honey or not, all comb in the brood chamber will eventually be used once again for brood.
I have seen comb like this before. My guess would be previous mice damage. Perhaps not a complete loss of comb, but a situation where the mice eat the face of the comb down to the foundation This was probably an area adjacent to where a mouse nest was located and the mice defecated and peed. The propolis is the bees attempt to "mask' the scent and propolis over the area. This would explain the bees covering up areas of comb that normally they would be using. I can guarantee, that the bees will never use the area seen in the photo along the frame on the right side.
I totally agree with Bjorn, chuck it and start back with new, that thing looks ancient! I removed all the frames that came with the last two nu cs I purchased as soon as I could get them out of my hives.