# Hive is gone....and mold...questions



## Lauri (Sep 20, 2008)

Last week watching the hive activity.....
Hive A VERY active 
Hive B....Nothing

Take a peek inside B. ....they are gone.
Put a few full frames of B honey into hive A, take the rest for myself.

Now hive A is gone too....

Did giving B frames of honey drive A out? 

There were not a lot of dead bees lying around, would they swarm this late in the year?
(I live in southern MI, near the OH border)

Disassembling hive A, notice a light dusting of blue/green mold on the capped honey.

Did that start to grow because the girls are not there to keep the hive dry?
Can this honey be processed? (I use the smash and strain method)

Thanks for your help


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Is a good bet the mold came because the air has been damp and not enough bees to circulate air thru the hive. What was the temp when you opened the hive to add the honey frames and how long was the hive open. Doubt full they swarmed probably didn't like the rush of cold air and just left absconded. 

You use any treatment in the hive? if not then should be safe to use the honey.

 Al


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## Lauri (Sep 20, 2008)

Temp was in the mid 40's, the hive was open for less than 5 minutes. I worked carefully, but fast, knowing that I only needed to replace the 2 frames on each end, of the top super only.

I assumed, incorrectly, that if the bees were out and about, that is was OK to open the hive?

So there was no problem putting in full frames from the other Hive?


I didn't use any treatments. Each hive looked good all summer...no mites, wax moths, etc.
Though one hive was stronger.


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## ed/La (Feb 26, 2009)

They would not swarm or abscond @ 40 degrees. No where to go. They can handle cold but not cold and damp. . They were probably just weak or environmental issues. I combined a few weak hives and seems to be working. Perhaps that would have been best option for you. A lot of bees do not over winter. Easy to loose 1/2 your hives in a winter. Do not let it bother you it just happens. We had fall drought so bad fall flow with bad summer flow. I expect to loose 30 percent. have 18 and hope 12 make it. Our spring bee season is around March 1 in the south. Be ready for spring swarm season and catch as many as you can. It is fun and easy. I hope to catch 30 this spring.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Reread the post. Not many dead bees seen.
Also opened the hive at 40 degrees and the bees were active then too.

I have had bees flying about going potty on a bright sunny 19 degree day. 

Very well could have absconded. they also normally have no place to go when they swarm during swarm season.

 Al


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## Lauri (Sep 20, 2008)

Disappointing, especially considering I may have been the culprit. 


Al, you said the honey should be able to be used, since I had not used any treatment in the hives.
Any suggestions as to how to handle them, during smash and strain, as to not mixing the mold with the Honey?

I also see you are from MI, any recommendations as to "bee classes" in the south part of the state? I see i'my gonna need them.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Use boiling water to make a hot knife cut the mold away and then smash the comb and strain it.

Southeastern Michigan Beekeepers sembabees.org 
they do a summer class normally starts some time in 
April.

*SEMBA 2017 Beekeeping Course For Beginners:* a full season of instruction led by Mike Siarkowski and a team of experienced beekeepers. 

 Al


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## k9 (Feb 6, 2008)

Just curious, when did you last see activity in Hive B?


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## Lauri (Sep 20, 2008)

Less than a week before I discovered they were gone.
5 or 6 days I would say.


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## k9 (Feb 6, 2008)

Did you see any mold on the frames of Hive B when you put them in A? What was the condition of B when you pulled the frames out, any brood area, any dead brood?


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## ed/La (Feb 26, 2009)

Did you treat for mites? Read this Absconding bees or death by Varroa? https://honeybeesuite.com/did-they-abscond-or-die-from-varroa/. I had 12 hives abscond on one day. These bees were from cut outs. Lot of work. I was sick over it. Now I treat for mites. No abscond this year.


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## Lauri (Sep 20, 2008)

K9....no there was no mold on the frames I transferred. 
What part if MI are you in?

ed......no treatment for mites, like the article you referenced mentioned.....I didn't see any, but am open to the idea thar they may have been there, just the same. You mentioned that your bees we r from "cut outs " what does that Mean?


Thanks guys for all of your advice.


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## ed/La (Feb 26, 2009)

Lauri cutout are bee hive taken out of peoples walls. Plenty of bees in house and shed walls and eves. Nice part time business in some parts of the country. My experience here is most have parasites and are not healthy. Mites make a point of hiding from view. They spend a lot of time beneath capped brood cells and are rarely seen on adult bees.These hives have to be treated for varroa. If not a good chance of collapse or absconding. The honey needs to be processed right away or hive beetle eggs hatch and contaminate it. I am in the south so that might not apply to you. Alleyyooper is a knowledgeable beek in you part of country. Do what she does. I thinks she treats with formic acid. Research swarm traps, splitting hives and queen rearing. Fun and easy. You can get your bees for free.


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