Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: Joelel on October 06, 2009, 03:41:44 pm

Title: Mildew
Post by: Joelel on October 06, 2009, 03:41:44 pm
It has been raining alot here.We are getting what looks like mildew on our honey comb. Will the bees take care of it or is there something we need to do or can it be something else and not mildew ? Thanks
Title: Re: Mildew
Post by: Joelel on October 07, 2009, 10:41:38 pm
Well, I guess if it's mildew,theirs nothing to worry about.
Title: Re: Mildew
Post by: lakeman on October 20, 2009, 12:52:17 pm
Hey! Can someone give us an answer here? I aim to produce only comb honey, and am also interested in the answer here.
Title: Re: Mildew
Post by: Joelel on October 20, 2009, 09:24:03 pm
Hey! Can someone give us an answer here? I aim to produce only comb honey, and am also interested in the answer here.

Maybe people don't know what mildew is,maybe I should call it mold.
Title: Re: Mildew
Post by: BjornBee on October 21, 2009, 09:32:41 am
 :pop:

Title: Re: Mildew
Post by: Robo on October 21, 2009, 10:21:51 am
Maybe people don't know what mildew is,maybe I should call it mold.

Or maybe those that know are on the Joelel ignore list.   :shock:

Asking questions and then consistently arguing with those that answer tends to discourage people from answering ...........
Title: Re: Mildew
Post by: BeeHopper on October 21, 2009, 10:28:09 am
(http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-eatdrink017.gif)
Title: Re: Mildew
Post by: Lone on October 21, 2009, 10:46:12 am
Hello Joelel,

When we had continuous rain here at the beginning of the year, I got these mildew-looking blobs the bees were clearing to the entrance.  With feeding and when the weather cleared up the problem left.  I'd hate to have the honey contaminated, but I'm guessing the bees would clean things up when it gets dry enough to cap it. Perhaps you can take measures to keep the hives a bit drier? Do they have a roof over them and are they sloping to the front? Maybe someone in a humid area has had experience with this.

(http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/2489/dscn1245pw.th.jpg) (http://img197.imageshack.us/i/dscn1245pw.jpg/)
Title: Re: Mildew
Post by: Robo on October 21, 2009, 10:53:41 am
Lone,

That looks like chalk brood to me.
Title: Re: Mildew
Post by: Kathyp on October 21, 2009, 11:01:50 am
'tis, but still a valuable pic.  the same conditions that make conditions for mold growth favorable, would allow chalkbrood to thrive.  of course, i'm on  the ignore list.....

Title: Re: Mildew
Post by: Lone on October 21, 2009, 11:02:36 am
Hello Robo,

I did wonder about that at first, because the blobs were about the size of brood, but they had a more waxy feel.  I never had a problem with chalkbrood after that, though, and I have seen chalkbrood in a friend's hive.  The black substance was much like mould.  I couldn't inspect inside much then because of the weather.  I sent that photo to an old beekeeper because I was concerned, and he replied that the bees were just cleaning up.

Lone
Title: Re: Mildew
Post by: Lone on October 21, 2009, 11:05:09 am
Then again, chalkbrood's just another kind of fungus, isn't it?
Title: Re: Mildew
Post by: Kathyp on October 21, 2009, 11:42:54 am
caused by fungus, i believe.  kind of like athletes foot is a skin condition caused by a fungus  :)
Title: Re: Mildew
Post by: Bee-Bop on October 21, 2009, 11:53:04 am
 :pop:


Bee-Bop
Title: Re: Mildew
Post by: Lone on October 21, 2009, 12:08:22 pm
Hello Kathy,

I looked up some pictures of chalkbrood and my picture does look similar.  The chalkbrood I had seen was only white, not black. 

So does chalkbrood fungus produce a mildew? 

I searched here for answers. 

http://agclass.nal.usda.gov/mtwdk.exe?s=1&n=1&y=0&l=60&k=default&w=Fungi,+Yeasts,+Molds+and+Mildews&t=3

(Now, my brain is turning into a mushroom after getting up at 530am, working till 415pm, driving home and back to town, going boxing for 1.5 hours, then coming home and catching chooks, delousing the langshans' bottoms and worming the araucanas.  Anyway, Joelel, it might be safer to wait for a break in the rain than using athlete's foot cream in your hives  ;))
Title: Re: Mildew
Post by: Scadsobees on October 21, 2009, 01:42:15 pm
Ok, two issues going on. 

Joelel, mildew (or mold) on combs is common.  Stored comb gets it, comb that is not being actively maintained by the bees outside the cluster over the winter will get it, the boxes and frames will mold as well.  Very common, considering there is moisture as well as traces(or more) of sugar on the comb it is to be expected.  The bees will clean it.  But if you are getting white and black pebbly things on the landing board, then see the next paragraph.

Lone, your picture is in fact of chalkbrood mummies (yup, a fungus).  Whether the fuzzy stuff on the mummies is the fruiting bodies of the chalkbrood fungus or mold doesn't matter too much.  But chalkbrood doesn't cause the comb to mold, only the bee larvae.  Chalkbrood can be caused by excessive moisture, the bees can usually clean up an infestation, but occasionally if the hive is mature the queen will need to be replaced if it doesn't go away.

Rick

Title: Re: Mildew
Post by: Joelel on October 21, 2009, 07:31:13 pm
Ok, two issues going on. 

Joelel, mildew (or mold) on combs is common.  Stored comb gets it, comb that is not being actively maintained by the bees outside the cluster over the winter will get it, the boxes and frames will mold as well.  Very common, considering there is moisture as well as traces(or more) of sugar on the comb it is to be expected.  The bees will clean it.  But if you are getting white and black pebbly things on the landing board, then see the next paragraph.

Lone, your picture is in fact of chalkbrood mummies (yup, a fungus).  Whether the fuzzy stuff on the mummies is the fruiting bodies of the chalkbrood fungus or mold doesn't matter too much.  But chalkbrood doesn't cause the comb to mold, only the bee larvae.  Chalkbrood can be caused by excessive moisture, the bees can usually clean up an infestation, but occasionally if the hive is mature the queen will need to be replaced if it doesn't go away.

Rick



Thank you. I know it's mold,just wondering if it was a problem.
Title: Re: Mildew
Post by: Joelel on October 21, 2009, 09:27:08 pm
Maybe people don't know what mildew is,maybe I should call it mold.

Or maybe those that know are on the Joelel ignore list.   :shock:

Asking questions and then consistently arguing with those that answer tends to discourage people from answering ...........

 consistently arguing ? Now your a liar and I don't mind telling you.
Title: Re: Mildew
Post by: BjornBee on October 21, 2009, 09:46:07 pm
Maybe people don't know what mildew is,maybe I should call it mold.

Or maybe those that know are on the Joelel ignore list.   :shock:

Asking questions and then consistently arguing with those that answer tends to discourage people from answering ...........

Thank you Robo.   X:X

I'm sure a bunch of people feel the same way.
Title: Re: Mildew
Post by: iddee on October 21, 2009, 10:22:22 pm
Robo, this one's for you.....   :deadhorse:   :deadhorse:      :deadhorse:

You and I can't possibly keep up with the intellectual genius of Joelel.

Why, I bet if he was in the army, he would advance all the way to Sergeant Major.   :roll:   :-D
Title: Re: Mildew
Post by: Kathyp on October 21, 2009, 11:58:27 pm
Quote
he would advance all the way to Sergeant Major

 :-D
Title: Re: Mildew
Post by: Joelel on October 22, 2009, 12:32:56 am
Robo, this one's for you.....   :deadhorse:   :deadhorse:      :deadhorse:

You and I can't possibly keep up with the intellectual genius of Joelel.

Why, I bet if he was in the army, he would advance all the way to Sergeant Major.   :roll:   :-D

You got all that right for once.
Title: Re: Mildew
Post by: Joelel on October 22, 2009, 12:36:42 am
Maybe people don't know what mildew is,maybe I should call it mold.

Or maybe those that know are on the Joelel ignore list.   :shock:

Asking questions and then consistently arguing with those that answer tends to discourage people from answering ...........

Thank you Robo.   X:X

I'm sure a bunch of people feel the same way.

Yelp,me too.
Title: Re: Mildew
Post by: beemaster on October 23, 2009, 01:31:04 am
Joelel:

I'm sending you a private message - I decided not to post it in the forum - I will just say here, don't be calling other members liars, not a good idea.

As for everyone else, try not feeding fuel to issues about what people post on other forums, or other baby diaper crap. We call it Cabin Fever, things quiet up in the bee yard and people in the forum start getting claustrophobic with each other and tempers flare - not going to have that.

LAST THOUGHT ADDED 12 HOURS LATER.

I don't want any negative talk about other beekeeping forums out there, many are our friends, not everyone can like each other, but were batting 400 or better :) PLEASE no "I hear you wrote over their about so and so willl not fly here Bjorn - That just fuels flames. If you need to say it, do so in private.

Title: Re: Mildew
Post by: Jim134 on October 24, 2009, 05:43:26 am
Robo, this one's for you.....   :deadhorse:   :deadhorse:      :deadhorse:

You and I can't possibly keep up with the intellectual genius of Joelel.

Why, I bet if he was in the army, he would advance all the way to Sergeant Major.   :roll:   :-D





                                                   LOL



                 BEE HAPPY Jim 134  :)
Title: Re: Mildew
Post by: Bee Happy on October 24, 2009, 05:55:35 am
I score a zero on the chalkbrood pic - I thought it was moldy pollen pellets.
Title: Re: Mildew
Post by: Kathyp on October 24, 2009, 11:13:56 am
bee happy, you know it if you see it in your hive.  moldy pollen would be soft.  these mumies are hard unless they have been sitting in wet, and usually whiteish/grayish...although some of lones look very dark.  they look like a rolled oat, but rounder :-)
Title: Re: Mildew
Post by: David LaFerney on October 24, 2009, 11:35:37 am

 consistently arguing ? Now your a liar and I don't mind telling you.

I don't know man.  It seems like you're pretty argumentative to me a lot of the time.  You aren't alone.  It's pretty common for people to insist that they know exactly what they are talking about - or to quibble about things that don't really matter - when all in all most of us have a lot to learn.

"The first step to wisdom is to understand that it is elusive."
Title: Re: Mildew
Post by: BjornBee on October 24, 2009, 11:46:32 am

"The first step to wisdom is to understand that it is elusive."

Well then....quit chasing it..... :-D

I stopped many years ago. Now, I just ramble on and on and on and on.... :imsorry: