Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: rayb on February 12, 2011, 04:17:08 pm

Title: What are these lines on the comb?
Post by: rayb on February 12, 2011, 04:17:08 pm: This is some comb from a dead hive. It was a strong hive and the cluster was only an inch from 50 lbs of capped comb. I sent a sample to the bee lab and am awaiting the results. On some of the capped comb were what looked like tracks (similar to what a leaf miner does to plant leaves). Is this just extra wax or something else?

(http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/852/combtracks.th.jpg) (http://img696.imageshack.us/i/combtracks.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

Thanks,
Ray
Title: Re: What are these lines on the comb?
Post by: Robo on February 12, 2011, 04:49:26 pm: Interesting. It is normal to get high spots in the comb that can look like lines, but they are usually around the cell walls, like at the top of your picture. But those other lines, like the one in the left middle that goes straight across a pollen cell, sure do look like something has tunneled through there. Any signs of entry/exit holes?
Title: Re: What are these lines on the comb?
Post by: JP on February 12, 2011, 04:50:58 pm: That looks like some really old comb to me. Perhaps comb that had wax moth damage that was repaired? Not sure, looks worm/larvae related.

...JP
Title: Re: What are these lines on the comb?
Post by: Finski on February 12, 2011, 05:07:18 pm: .
Bee louce (lice) Braula coeca makes that kind of tunnels.
They vanished from me over 20 years ago when I start to kill varroa mites.

(http://content8.eol.org/content/2010/08/05/00/93874_large.jpg)
Title: Re: What are these lines on the comb?
Post by: rayb on February 12, 2011, 06:34:46 pm: A little more info on the lines:

The comb is 3 years old and foundationless. The hive was strong going into Winter with about 80 lbs of stored liquid. There was still about 50 lbs of food when I opened it this week.

I just now examined the comb with a bright light and powerful lens and there are no obvious entrance/exit openings. A cross section doesn't show a "tunnel" (the best I can tell) and when I dig into an area where the track seems to end, I find no alien critter.

Is this something to pass on to the bee lab for their opinion?

Thanks, Ray
Title: Re: What are these lines on the comb?
Post by: rdy-b on February 12, 2011, 07:01:15 pm: made by tiny bee lice-RDY-B
Title: Re: What are these lines on the comb?
Post by: wildbeekeeper on February 12, 2011, 07:04:37 pm: i agree with everyone else... tunnels made by the very tiny bee louse. Dont think it hurts much..the homey that is...just the appearace
Title: Re: What are these lines on the comb?
Post by: rayb on February 13, 2011, 09:03:22 am: Thanks to everyone who responded. I hadn't heard of them before and,after a little internet search, found more info.

Thanks,

Ray
Title: Re: What are these lines on the comb?
Post by: JP on February 13, 2011, 11:22:05 am: Looks like the one Finski has pictured is on the tip of a toothpick. Man are they tiny!

...JP
Title: Re: What are these lines on the comb?
Post by: Finski on February 13, 2011, 11:28:06 am: Quote from: JP on February 13, 2011, 11:22:05 am
Looks like the one Finski has pictured is on the tip of a toothpick. Man are they tiny!

...JP

Its size is almost same as varroa.
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_nCJ1cstG53c/Swu38h3caRI/AAAAAAAAAlU/GZhkLWMNlyk/s1600/%CE%BC%CE%B5%CE%BB%CE%B9%CF%83%CF%83%CF%8C%CF%88%CE%B5%CE%B9%CF%81%CE%B1.jpg)
Title: Re: What are these lines on the comb?
Post by: leechmann on February 13, 2011, 11:36:42 am: Sure makes you feel sorry for that bee.
Title: Re: What are these lines on the comb?
Post by: JP on February 13, 2011, 12:00:13 pm: Holy smokes and on a queen! Was that one of yours Finski?

Looks like she's trying to deposit an egg as well.

How destructive are they to the hive?

...JP
Title: Re: What are these lines on the comb?
Post by: Finski on February 13, 2011, 12:15:37 pm: Quote from: JP on February 13, 2011, 12:00:13 pm
Holy smokes and on a queen! Was that one of yours Finski?
...JP

Those are not my pictures.

I saw only one or two bugs on the queen, not herd. They like to be on queen because queen is often feeded with good food and lices steeled food when a worker offered it to the queen.
Title: Re: What are these lines on the comb?
Post by: Brian D. Bray on February 13, 2011, 01:01:20 pm: WARNING: I clicked on the picture and got loads of viruses. Luckily my security blocked them all.
Title: Re: What are these lines on the comb?
Post by: Finski on February 13, 2011, 01:13:41 pm: Quote from: Brian D. Bray on February 13, 2011, 01:01:20 pm
WARNING: I clicked on the picture and got loads of viruses. Luckily my security blocked them all.

Which picture?
Title: Re: What are these lines on the comb?
Post by: Brian D. Bray on February 13, 2011, 01:17:29 pm: Quote from: Finski on February 13, 2011, 01:13:41 pm
Quote from: Brian D. Bray on February 13, 2011, 01:01:20 pm
WARNING: I clicked on the picture and got loads of viruses. Luckily my security blocked them all.

Which picture?

The first one. The one with the tracks in the comb.
Title: Re: What are these lines on the comb?
Post by: BlueBee on February 13, 2011, 03:40:55 pm: Yeah, I got those pseudo virus warnings too when I clicked on the first photo too. Never had a problem with any of Finski's photos.

Norton didn’t detect any real viruses getting downloaded though so I just closed out IE via the task manager and tried again. It worked fine the next time, no real virus, looks like some Imageshack advertiser just trying to get you to send them $. I would close them out via the task manager as opposed to clicking on any of their buttons.
Title: Re: What are these lines on the comb?
Post by: BlueBee on February 13, 2011, 03:41:55 pm: Finski, how did you get rid of your lice problems?
Title: Re: What are these lines on the comb?
Post by: Finski on February 13, 2011, 04:00:42 pm: Quote from: BlueBee on February 13, 2011, 03:41:55 pm
Finski, how did you get rid of your lice problems?

Varroa arrived and I used 1987 first time Perizin against varroa. Since that I have not seen lice.
Sometimes I had those tunnels quite much.

Australia is perhaps only country when bee lice may live in peace because they have not varroa poisons.
Title: Re: What are these lines on the comb?
Post by: hardwood on February 13, 2011, 08:48:43 pm: I wonder if the ol' kerosene wash works :-D

Scott
Title: Re: What are these lines on the comb?
Post by: Finski on February 14, 2011, 08:24:45 am: Quote from: hardwood on February 13, 2011, 08:48:43 pm
I wonder if the ol' kerosene wash works :-D

Scott

In brain washing or where?