TwT...sc-bee, that might well be what it was.
doak, there was no disease in the hive. the smell lasted about as long as it would have taken them to cure some funky honey. it was odd that it was only in one hive, but that hive was putting away stores like crazy for a few weeks while they were queenless.
just curious, not worried. fortunately, i have never had SHB, but didn't know there was a smell that went with them.