Mold infested hive...what should I do?

**bxmas13** · 03-22-2010, 12:29 AM

Here are pics of one of my hives. I realized, probably too late, that my feeder was leaking syrup into the hive. So mix that with mold and lack of bees it got nasty in there.

I don't know what to do with the frames and boxes? Are they recoverable? I hate to waste the boxes.

*Mental note: Make sure bees have proper ventilation!

http://www.gongey.com/temp/mold-1.jpg

http://www.gongey.com/temp/mold-2.jpg

http://www.gongey.com/temp/mold-3.jpg

**AmericasBeekeeper** · 03-22-2010, 12:31 AM

bleach water is your best hope now!

**bxmas13** · 03-22-2010, 01:14 AM

Are the frames recoverable? They were pretty nasty.

**honeyman46408** · 03-22-2010, 02:58 AM

Yes the bees will clean the frames.

I would scrape the inside of the boxes and the wood of the frames and you can use bleach water to wash off some of the mold but what you cant get the bees will.

**RayMarler** · 03-22-2010, 05:16 AM

It looks like you've got plastic foundation? If so, you can just scrape off the worst of the loose wax and webbing and mold with your hive tool, scrape the frames, tap them against your palm to shake off loose debris and put back in the hive. The bees will clean it up. The very worst of the wood, if you're concerned, can be replaced by popping out the plastic foundation/comb by cutting the edges of the comb around the frame on both sides and popping it out. Then can get a new frame to pop it into.