I got mildew

Irwin · January 09, 2009, 07:17:21 PM

OK I had a 3/8 by 1/2 hole for vent they plugged it up cleaned it out twice and they keep plugging it so I thought they knew what they were doing. So I looked in today out side was 53 bees were flying. Good time for a look and I found mold. So I took a 3/8 shim and put it in back under top cover. I'm going to rip down a medium in half and do the sugar thing. They got plenty of stores but it's got some mold on them. Is this OK or should I do some thing else.

Thank's for any help.

:(

Brian D. Bray · January 09, 2009, 07:43:40 PM

As the weather warms up the bees will adress the mold once they break cluster and begin foraging. What you found is common. That's one of the reasons I like a vent at the top of the hive, it lets the moisture to escape instead of build up and reduces the mold growth as a result.

rdy-b · January 09, 2009, 10:39:28 PM

what color was the mold- RDY-B

Irwin · January 10, 2009, 09:10:38 AM

Quote from: rdy-b on January 09, 2009, 10:39:28 PM
what color was the mold- RDY-B

Grayish

rdy-b · January 10, 2009, 09:43:32 PM

sometimes what looks like mold is just a film of BLUM on the capped honey :-\ RDY-B

Irwin · January 11, 2009, 08:53:24 AM

Yesterday after noon they pulled out a hive beetle. They haven't hardly touched the medium full of honey it's still real heavy. There is only about four frames of bee's. Should I pull the supper full of honey and feed frames as needed. I'm thinking this for hive beetle control. I need help first year and scared.

1of6 · January 11, 2009, 11:51:40 AM

Irwin - that may not be mold/mildew as rdy-b said. I'd look to see if I see any actual moisture anywhere. For my hives though (all year long) I prop my outer cover up to allow a little bit of ventilation. At lot of folks express concern over creating a chimney/flu effect with this, but I think that within reason there's a lot of benefit to establishing a very teeny-tiny ventilation draft in times where moisture is becoming a real issue. It can always be lessened/closed up a little during a colder snap.

In the summer I slide either a super or the third deep brood box (depending on hive configuration) back 3/8" to create another entrance and more importantly a better vent point. My experience for my area has been that the colonies with their boxes slid back like this beard less that the ones that are closed, and cap a little quicker too. At least it works in my area.