Ooey-Gooey, Stinky Mess - Advice Needed!

[Moots]

OK,
Another valuable lesson today for a new Beek that's foolish enough to think things are going well.  :laugh:

I'm using mostly solid bottom boards, however, I have two SBB with Oil trays and one with just the screen bottom.  I'm running all 8 frame medium boxes....
The hive with the issue is currently 4 boxes tall and all outward indications are that it's doing fine.  In all recent inspections I've just checked the top box or two to see if they're ready for another box.  Out of pure neglect, laziness, and stupidity on my part...I hadn't check the oil tray in quit sometime.  Oops!

Today, I pull it out and it's a Royal Mess!  I've got big larva crawling around, maybe some dead SHB, and who knows what else.  The below picture is actually after I finished torching them.  :)


Naturally, at this point I realize I have to break down the entire hive and my fear is that I'm going to find a huge mess.  On the way down to the bottom box, I wasn't pulling any frames, but everything looked healthy and normal.  Found a little more of a mess on the bottom board and some dead bees.


However, nothing on the frames or in the boxes that appeared out of place.  I gave them a fresh solid bottom board and took a closer look as I re-stacked the hive.  The box on the bottom board had fewer bees that the other boxes, Some covered brood, but not a ton, and not a great laying pattern, but nothing that I'd consider really out of place.  The second box had plenty of covered brood and honey, with a great laying pattern. 3rd and 4th boxes were full of capped honey, uncapped honey, and bees.....to the point that I actually gave them another box.

So, what exactly caused this...what exactly was it....and what should I do in addition to, or differently from what I've already done?

Thanks!

[iddee]

A screen bottom should either be open to the ground, or have oil or something under it. Never leave a solid bottom under the screen.

[Moots]

A screen bottom should either be open to the ground, or have oil or something under it. Never leave a solid bottom under the screen.

iddee,
Roger that...this one had oil, although by the time I check it today it was more just an oily-gooey slurry.  :)

[sterling]

Looks like to me the tray is doing it's job. It is going to get messy with oil and stuff  falling in. I switched to hydrated lime not as messy and kills the shb and larva.

[Moots]

Looks like to me the tray is doing it's job. It is going to get messy with oil and stuff  falling in. I switched to hydrated lime not as messy and kills the shb and larva.

Sterling,
I agree, dealing with the oil is a mess...I've heard of using lime, where do I get hydrated lime and is there any negatives are drawbacks?

Thanks  :)

[iddee]

Hydrated lime can be bought at any garden center or similar. It is perfectly safe. I use it on my garden, flower beds, grape vines, ETC. to control insects. It will keep them away from the leaves and won't kill the bees. Ever read Tom Sawyer? Lime and water makes whitewash. It was used to paint trees, fences, sometimes even houses. Quick lime will produce heat when wet. Hydrated lime is supposed to have already gone through the heat process. I haven't used it for whitewash, only quick lime, so I don't know if it produces heat or not. Quick lime and water will burn you badly.

[Mackayboi]

So the hydrated lime is placed on the bottom board of the hive as the powder say 3 mm thick?
What does the lime do for benefits?

First time I heard you can use lime in hives.


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[sterling]

So the hydrated lime is placed on the bottom board of the hive as the powder say 3 mm thick?
What does the lime do for benefits?

First time I heard you can use lime in hives.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

No you can't put it in the hives. I use it in a pan under the screen bottom board instead of oil. The pan needs to be tight to the bottom board so the bees can't get in. Some people use it the shb traps that fit in between the frames instead of oil.