chalkbrood, toss the comb?

[wayacoyote]

A friend pulled a frame which he said contained some chalkbrood. He wants to know if he should toss it out or if the bees can still use it. The hive he pulled it from has lots of grass grown around it and he hopes moving it out will ventilate it better. What do you all think? Toss it or give it to a strong hive. As it is, it is cleaned out and dry.

Waya

[Michael Bush]

I always leave it and the bees clean it out.

It only seems to crop up in the spring sometimes.

[wayacoyote]

Thanks, Michael.
This is his first year, and he's playing it safe. This is one of his intermediate regression frames with well drawn 5.1mm.
Waya

[Robert Brenchley]

How much chalk is there? I always have some, and ignore it. If you've got large quantities, you may need to requeen. Using screen bottoms can cut the amount if you have a damp climate, as like any fungus, it thrives in damp conditions.

[Alienor]

Here in Germany we always requeen if chalkbrood occurs. The predisposition for it is inheritable and if the hive gets some stress it will come up again and again. So we think it is better to re-queen.

[wayacoyote]

Hmm, thanks.
Waya

[Michael Bush]

I'm with Robert. If it's a little and it clears up shortly I don't worry. If it's a lot or it doesn't clear up, I'd requeen.

[gingerbee]

Bleach can also be used to clean comb, and after 24 hrs the bees can use it again.

[Robert Brenchley]

The only time I've seen really large quantities of chalk was earlier this year, when large areas of capped brood failed to hatch in a queenless colony. When I gave these combs to a queenright colony, they were soon cleaned out.

I have read that chalk is associated with a tendency in some colonies to let the brood temperature fall in cold conditions, and I imagine that this was the case here; the brood was chilled to the point where it all succumbed. But I've never seen anything like that in a queenright colony.