I was messing around with my hive today - pulling out the dead bodies from the bottom,putting syrup feeder in the top, and just generally having a look on this nice day. The bees were in a good mood so I took my time. I pulled out the bottom board insert and found a small pile of granular material in one corner. I see mouse poop also, and some parts of dead bees that must have fallen through the screened bottom, but I have no idea what the grainy stuff is. Any ideas? It has a sandy texture and yellowish and whitish. I am in Ontario so no pollen out yet - this is the very beginning of the season here.
I have a photo but can't figure out how to include it with this message. Help?
could be wax cappings and last years pollen. Since it's in a pile, check the frames above and see if there is stored honey and pollen.
Quote from: Steel Tiger on April 07, 2014, 01:39:55 AM
could be wax cappings and last years pollen. Since it's in a pile, check the frames above and see if there is stored honey and pollen.
Probably capping leftovers
Hah. How weird, though, that it's all in a single pile. I guess that must be where most of the stores were located. It does look like chewed-up cappings and pollen
I'm still trying to find out how to post a photo - the one I have is pretty clear.
(http://s17.postimg.org/lhhz5r7y3/image.jpg) (http://postimg.org/image/lhhz5r7y3/)
Ok, got it. So what's the diagnosis?
wax cappings where they chewed the caps off to get to the honey stores.
Ok that's good, then. Glad to hear its normal. Thanks!
It may be granulated honey.
Either way, that's ok. I was thinking to taste it. It then I got queasy in case it totally wasn't honey or anything else made by bees...
If it dissolves in warm water then crystallized honey or syrup.
I was on my nexus viewing the photo before. Now that I'm on the desktop,I say wax cappings also.
But taste is always a good verification! :-D :-D
Good OR bad. I was imagining what ELSE it could be but I really didn't want to find out by tasting...