Couple of quick questions with pictures

[kawayanan]

Ok, easy one first. Is this a small hive beetle larva or a wax moth larva? I saw a couple of these. No webs or other sign of moths. I have seen a few SHB, but very few (only one while doing my inspection today).




Ok, now for the next question. I had a bit of comb that got attached to the inside front of my TBH, and ended up taking it out. It had mostly pollen, but some capped brood (and a few that had been uncapped like they were being torn out). I decided to check the capped brood for varroa. I removed 25 worker pupa, and didn't find anything that looked like a varroa mite. I also didn't see anything in the cell that looked like the mite feces I have seen pictures of. What I did see however was what looked like fine sawdust on the pupa when I pulled them out. It looks most like chewed up capping (like what I find on the bottom board when its in). Some had a good bit more than others. Here is a picture of a bunch of pupa, and one of the pupa with the most "stuff" on it. I think this one may have been one of the pupa that had been uncapped by the bees (as if it was being torn out).



To me, it looked like capping material or something like that. I was actually surprised to not find any mites (I think I'll try a sugar roll next time I check the hives). I just wanted to check and make sure this wasn't something I didn't recognize. I'd hate to miss a warning sign.

[Curtis]

First question..I would say a small hive beetle, due to the coloration of both ends(no size comparison).
Second question....I don't know.
Curtis

[Ski]

The shb appears to have spines where the wax moth larva does not.

http://www.ento.vt.edu/~fell/apiculture/hivebeetle/

I cannot tell from your picture if there are spines.

No thoughts on the second question.

[Dave W]

The "worm" looks like wax moth larva to me.

I often find very small "pellets" (broken pencil lead) that I am told is wax worm poop. Is your bee pupa covered in this "poop"?