[Shuka]

Hi! Question about “stuff” falling from the cluster. I have two hives with SBBs, and pulled out the removable inserts today. In addition if sugar pulled off of cakes from the winter, bee pieces, and pollen bundles, both inserts had dark “mealy” droppings (photos). Any idea what these are?
Thanks!
Shuka

 

[JWPalmer]

In addition to all the sugar, I see cappings from brood and some lavae poo. Winter brood cappings are re worked brood comb wax during the first rounds as the bees are not producing new wax. Hence, the cappings are much darker than one would see a little later in the season. The photos are not high enough resolution to make out any mites or bee parts that may be present. Looks pretty normal to me.

 

[Shuka]

Thank you! I didn’t know that the dark stuff is larval poo. Should I be worried that one hive has so much less than the other?

 

[crofter]

When the bees prepare previous honey stored areas they chew back cell walls to proper length for brood. Could be some droppings from that.

 

[John Davis]

There are also some mites you can see in the third picture.