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Author Topic: strange brown pattern on frames  (Read 3192 times)

Offline james

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strange brown pattern on frames
« on: November 19, 2007, 09:04:57 pm »
i have just harvested a box of frames and am a bit worried at a brown pattern, wondering if it is the breaded foul brood disease, most of the caps are brownish instead of the usual white colour i have photos to send, not sure if i can post them on here, maybe some one could let me know how, would appreciate any advise.

tried to load photos not sure if it worked

-james
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Offline Michael Bush

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Re: strange brown pattern on frames
« Reply #1 on: November 19, 2007, 09:27:33 pm »
>i have just harvested a box of frames and am a bit worried at a brown pattern, wondering if it is the breaded foul brood disease, most of the caps are brownish instead of the usual white colour

Caps on brood start out kind of tan and end up dark brown.  Brood caps are kind of "fuzzy" looking as opposed to honey caps that are more waxy.  Light or dark are both normal colors for honey.

Signs of AFB with pictures:
http://maarec.cas.psu.edu/pest&disease/slide10.htm
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Offline Brian D. Bray

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Re: strange brown pattern on frames
« Reply #2 on: November 19, 2007, 09:32:26 pm »
White caps usuallly denote capped honey--brown cells normally indicate capped brood.  The white caps should be on the upper portion of the frame and the darker caps over most of the rest of the frame.  Honey capped in cells that have contained brood (backfill for winter storage) will also have darker capsl.
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Offline james

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Re: strange brown pattern on frames
« Reply #3 on: November 20, 2007, 12:11:00 am »
thanks for the help, sounds all fine, as you would guess i am very much an new hand at this, yesterday i caught a wild swam and established it in a new box, so far seems ok, many are still trying to work out how to get back in to the hive, but had a quick look in today and they seemed happy n their new home, better that the tree in the wind and showers forecast

anyhow, here is a picture of the frames as mentioned in the previous entry, well i tried and this came up, so no luck this time
Due to excessive spamming, users with limited number of posts can not post URL or image links. Please remove any links from your post. If you would like to have an administrator append your URL or image link to this post, continue this post and then email your link to photos@beemaster.com with a reference to your post. Once your post count increases, you will be able to include links.
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Offline Michael Bush

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Re: strange brown pattern on frames
« Reply #4 on: November 20, 2007, 08:15:26 am »
If it's brood, you need to not harvest it.  If it's honey, I'd go for it.  Poke a hole in one cap and see whats in them.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
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Offline Robo

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Re: strange brown pattern on frames
« Reply #5 on: November 20, 2007, 09:48:58 am »
anyhow, here is a picture of the frames as mentioned in the previous entry, well i tried and this came up, so no luck this time
Due to excessive spamming, users with limited number of posts can not post URL or image links. Please remove any links from your post. If you would like to have an administrator append your URL or image link to this post, continue this post and then email your link to photos@beemaster.com with a reference to your post. Once your post count increases, you will be able to include links.

James,  if you follow the directions of the message and e-mail a link to the picture,  I will append it to this topic.
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Offline Cindi

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Re: strange brown pattern on frames
« Reply #6 on: November 20, 2007, 10:42:37 am »
James, not sure if you have been welcomed to this forum in the new member forum, so I will welcome you here and now.  Glad that you found us, this is a great place to spend time and you will find so much helpful information from our forum friends.  You're gonna love it.

James, do as Robo said with you image.  We would love to see your pictures.  Good luck, have the best time with beekeeping, it is a worthwhile fun thing.  Have a great and wonderful day.  Cindi
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Offline Yarra_Valley

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Re: strange brown pattern on frames
« Reply #7 on: November 20, 2007, 11:22:02 am »
Hi James, that's my name too. Easy to remember you! welcome.

Here's a link to the thread I created when I was diagnosing brood disease in one of my colonies. It turned out to be the dreaded AFB. I hope it helps you.

http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php?topic=11019.msg78079#msg78079

There's plenty of pictures floating around the net of the various brood diseases, just google 'em.

James :).
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Offline Old Timer

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Re: strange brown pattern on frames
« Reply #8 on: November 20, 2007, 12:02:40 pm »
In addition to the previous replies, the brown you are seeing is most likely where the bees have been traveling or clustering on the cappings. This will turn them brown. You can really see it when you harvest early in the year. The lowest supers will have the darkest cappings and the highest supers will have the lightest. If they were clustering on it and not traveling across it, the discolorization will look like a half circle. This is common. Why does it happen? The bees have not yet learned to wipe their feet off before going in their house and they track whatever is on their feet all through the combs. :) ;)

Offline james

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Re: strange brown pattern on frames
« Reply #9 on: November 20, 2007, 05:05:37 pm »
thanks for the welcome to the forum and for the positive and useful responses!

looking at photos of afb on the net it doesn't look like it, yea!

but i'm going to send a photo as suggested by robo
- just sent the photos and got as an auto. reply

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Offline Robo

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Re: strange brown pattern on frames
« Reply #10 on: November 20, 2007, 06:08:01 pm »
Here are the photos




James they look fine.  The light color ones is just air between the honey and wax. the dark colored ones has no air in them and is just honey right against the wax capping.
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Offline Old Timer

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Re: strange brown pattern on frames
« Reply #11 on: November 20, 2007, 07:28:20 pm »
James, what type of queen do you have in that hive and did you get her already mated or let her open mate in your yard?

Offline james

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Re: strange brown pattern on frames
« Reply #12 on: November 21, 2007, 02:54:26 am »
this is how i got into bee keeping,  i found the hive on an abandoned farm, (it had white ant damage, and the wood was rotting away) it was never the less quite a busy hive, i have had it several years and have tried several times to replace the old queen but never had any luck finding her, over the years the hive has declined in activity and numbers, but i harvest at least once a year, but replacing the queen is on my list of things to do
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Offline james

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Re: strange brown pattern on frames
« Reply #13 on: November 21, 2007, 03:02:03 am »
hi there robo

thanks for posting the photos and checking them for me, i am happy to hear you think all is ok

spent good part of the day collecting frames and extracting ended up with over 30kg from 20 frames(2 supers)

thanks for your help again! 

having this forum is such a great way of communicating bee things especially with photos

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Offline reinbeau

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Re: strange brown pattern on frames
« Reply #14 on: November 21, 2007, 08:24:25 am »
James, welcome to the forum.  Go into your Profile and fill in your location so you will no longer be hopelessly lost  :)

 

anything