Big pile of wax scales ????? and dead larva in cells ?

[Nan3902]

I've had my hive for a month. I look at them alot, just because I like to. Sometimes I think they like looking at me, too.

My question is, there is a mound of wax scales along the entire length of the box where the top meets the bottom. The rest of the hive floor looks fairly clean. What is this about ?

The next thing is that one corner of the box looks like it is getting some mold inside. What should I do in there ?

Nancy
Ovid, NY

[PCM]

The wax is probably wax cappings of the cells.

Mold means moisture,this means venilate, venilate, get some air moveing !!

Moisture will Kill !!

What does your Local mentor or bee club say about this ??

Inter-net forums are nice but remember " what works for me may not work for you a thousand or more miles away "

PCM

[Ross]

Could be the result of robbing. Prop the top open a bit to help the moisture problem.

[Ardilla]

Are the wax scales clear or colored (yellow, brown, etc.)? Wax scales look like tiny, clear fish scales. If the wax has color to it it is probably cappings like PCM suggested.

[Nan3902]

The scales are clear. They run from the back to the front of the hive starting from the mildewed corner. Do you think they are using them to "sop" up moisture ? They are not wax.

Nancy

[Natalie]

I a hive that had the same thing with the wax scales.
They are a brand new colony, I hived them in a brand new topbar hive and the scales were directly underneath where they were building new comb on the bars.
They were definitley not wax cappings as they had no other comb.
I don't know why they were dropping so many but that is all I assume it is, they were accidentally dropping them.
I highly doubt they are using scales to sop up moisture.
You do need to address the ventilation problem though or you will have worse problems down the road.
What size is the hive? Are they in one box? How much comb do they have built?
Are you using a screened bottom board?
You mention dead larvae in cells in your title but don't elaborate in your post, what exactly do you mean?

[Bitteroot]

I had a similar experience.. did you spray the bees with a 1/1 mixture of sugar syrup? I had done this and found that it was not wax.. but dried sugar that had flaked off the backs of the bee's thorax. Just a thought!

[berkshire bee]

along with propping inner cover I'd get the hives into as much sun if possible and be sure they are tilted a little foward so that moisture doesn't collect on the bottom board