Moldy bees!!!

[nature_girl]

Hello all,
I hope I am posting this right. Things have changes since I visited last. I glanced through but did not see a problem just like mine. So here it goes. I opened up my 2 hives today, and came across a problem that I dont know how to deal w/. I opened my hives today for the 1st time this year. The 1st hive, looked like the lid, leaked. The one corner was wet, and the bottom board was mounded w/ dead moldy bees. The corners of the frames in the wet corner was moldy also. there was a yellow substance in the empty combs and w/ the dead bees. It might have been very small bits of wax, but not sure. I did not see any tunneling through the comb. There were some new eggs on 1/2 of 1 frame. When I checked my other hive, I could not believe it, most of the colony was dead and moldy. Again the inside of the hive was moldy on one side, and a very large mound of dead bees in the bottom board. Also mixed w/ the yellow bits.
The second hive was a bit different though. There is plenty of capped honey, but many bees died w/ their heads in the cells. Also their seemed to be alot of some substance that looked like uncapped honey, but was milky white. Suprisingly neither hive had a bad odor. I did treat both hives in the LATE fall w/ mit away II. They had recently contracted mites from a 3rd hive I had.I also did not feed either hive, last fall or yet this spring. I cleaned up both hives the best I could. I even managed to shake most of the white goo from the frames.
What should I do? The first hive I checked seems okay, other than they need some feed. The second looks like they will be gone soon unless I do something now. I also need to know about the second hives frames. They have plenty of capped honey, but also plenty of moldy wood, and mold bees stuck in their cells, that I could not remove.
Thank you for any help you can give.

[buzzbee]

Make sure you have a lot of ventilation. Make sure the hole in the inner cover is not blocked and remove or at least use the largest opening in your entrance reducer. You have to get rid of the dampness.
Watch the feed stores and watch for activity during the warmth of the day. If the hives seem strong you may want to prop the top open just a little during the warmest part of the next couple days.Just don't leave it open in the cool of the night.Good luck and keep us posted. Maybe someone else can help more!

[nature_girl]

Thanks,
I am not sure I want to take the entrance from the second hive. They have very few girls to protect themselves. But I can definatly do that for the first hive. Any ideas on how this happened or what it is. I went into this winter the same way I have previous years. Although this year was quite warm even untill January. Then an extreme cold snap in Febuary.

[buzzbee]

I had the problem here with 2hives the bees never moved from the lower box to the upper with plenty of frames of honey. Bees head first in combs have starved which I had.The other hive is boiling with bees but we placed a empty medium above the inner cover and then put the telescoping cover on like a couple old timers said to do and they survived this weird winter beautifully.I live in n. central pa
did snow cover the bottom entrances blocking ventilation by chance?

[Zoot]

Nature Girl

Sounds like your hives are good candidates for some Screened Bottom Boards. You might also consider installing a handy-dandy genuine B.D.bray slatted rack in each. I have come to swear by them (to those who've asked for photos - forgive me, my techno/electronic abilities have proved insufficient). Also, since it's SUPPOSED to be rather warm thoughout the East tomorrow, you might try Buzzbee's suggestion about propping the top open. Good luck.

[nature_girl]

Thank you for your suggestions. Should I get rid of the frames from the second hive that have dead, moldy bees along side beautifull capped honey. That is the hive w/ very few girls. Also does anyone have thoughts on the stuff that looked like milky uncapped honey. When I shook off the frames. The cells that had the milky substance, emptied of liquid, leaving white bits. I am thinking some form of sugar crystals, and that The honey did not get capped and spoiled.
Thanks guys!!!
I really appreciate the help.

[Billy The Beekeeper]

yea u have to have the ventilization in there or bad things will happen to ur hive sorry for ur troubles goodluck though  :)                            :mrgreen: