Should I be worried?

Started by joker1656, June 08, 2009, 10:42:43 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Print
Go Down Pages1
User actions

joker1656

June 08, 2009, 10:42:43 PM
I am a newbie.  I purchased 4 packages of bees in April.  One of the packages died almost immediately.  A second is still doing poorly and is in the process of being combined with a swarm that I recently caught.  This second package appears to be queenless, thus the combining, with a laying worker.

Anyway, this hive of bees is making me worried.  I noticed the last time I opened them up a few cells that had some dark goop.  I, at first, thought it was dark pollen that had not been finished.  I took a tooth pick and picked at the goop.  It was just that, a kind of gray/black sludge.  It wasn't ropy, or sticky, just sludge.  What could that be?  There were several cells like this.

The brood that was present was drone brood.  I scraped a cap, or two off and they appeared healthy.  I did not see any sunken cappings, but as I said I am a newbie.  I could have missed them.  I did not see anything else in the hive that gave me any clues.

Could this be AFB?  Or possibly SHB feces?  Should I be concerned, or wait to see if the swarm gets things on track?  The swarm was fairly large and queenright.  I have no pics.  If anyone has any thoughts, I am open to them.  Thanks!

Joker
"Fear not the night.  Fear that which walks the night.  I am that which walks the night, BUT only EVIL need fear me..."-Lt. Col. David Grossman

Kathyp

#1
June 08, 2009, 11:31:36 PM
i have really dark gunk in my hives :-).  it's some kind of pollen that they dragged in. 
The people the people are the rightful masters of both congresses and courts not to overthrow the Constitution, but to overthrow the men who pervert it.

Abraham  Lincoln
Speech in Kansas, December 1859

Cheryl

#2
June 09, 2009, 01:03:22 AM
Do bees ever store propolis in cells, or do they just stick that to surfaces?
We are what we repeatedly do.
Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.
~ Aristotle

Brian D. Bray

#3
June 10, 2009, 12:48:49 AM
Quote from: Cheryl on June 09, 2009, 01:03:22 AM
Do bees ever store propolis in cells, or do they just stick that to surfaces?

Propolis, the bee's super glue, gets put on pretty much everything in the hive.  I've seen reddish deposits in the cells but have always assumed it was red pollen but it is possilbe that they store it, it's just that during the time of year that the bees need and use it the resource for it is fresh.
Life is a school.  What have you learned?   :brian:      The greatest danger to our society is apathy, vote in every election!

joker1656

#4
June 10, 2009, 08:05:31 PM
Well, I don't think it's pollen.  It could be I suppose, but it was on the bottom of the cell.  It was a slimey dark gray goop.  It was not ropey, but is AFB always ropy, or is it only ropey at certain stages? 

Anyone have any thoughts/suggestions?  It doesn't appear to be widespread through all of the frames, but they only have about three frames drawn. 

Anyway, I'd be happy for any thoughts.  Thanks!
"Fear not the night.  Fear that which walks the night.  I am that which walks the night, BUT only EVIL need fear me..."-Lt. Col. David Grossman
Print
Go Up Pages1
User actions