Rocks in the hive?

1894 Views 9 Replies 8 Participants Last post by Rader Sidetrack, Jul 18, 2014

firefly22

Discussion Starter · Jul 17, 2014

Hello everyone things going along well with the hives, strange thing found yesterday small stones in the hive. They where good size any one else every found this and why would they do such a thing? I didn't get picture left phone in house and the bee's had just about enough of me messing around in there home for so long. I don't think i should worry but it was strange to find them.

firefly

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AstroBee

· #2 · Jul 17, 2014

Kids throwing stones at the hives?

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firefly22

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jul 17, 2014

AstroBee said:
Kids throwing stones at the hives?

NO AstroBee no kids I live out in the country on 40 acres no kids around.

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COAL REAPER

· #4 · Jul 17, 2014

might you have pulled top box and set on ground while inspecting bottom box? perhaps stones stuck to bottom of box/frames when you picked it up and set back on the lower box.

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agastache

· #5 · Jul 17, 2014

This may be really dumb, but could they be mummies from chalkbrood? I have had chalkbrood (or what I guess is chalkbrood) and the mummies are white or dark or both, and look like little stones on the bottom board. The bees haul them out and they end up in a pile below the front of the hive.

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treeWinder

· #6 · Jul 17, 2014

Stonebrood

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jdmidwest

· #7 · Jul 18, 2014

Somebody punking you?

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Cloverdale

· #8 · Jul 18, 2014

treeWinder said:
Stonebrood

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firefly22

Discussion Starter · #9 · Jul 18, 2014

COAL REAPER said:
might you have pulled top box and set on ground while inspecting bottom box? perhaps stones stuck to bottom of box/frames when you picked it up and set back on the lower box.

I started to think same thing last night, i normal do not set on ground i have blocks i use but last inspection i did have a helper and we where all the way down in the hive so its possible that he might have set one of the supers on the ground near by the hive which would explain the stones. Thanks for the help.

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Rader Sidetrack

· #10 · Jul 18, 2014

While treeWinder could have added a little more information, stonebrood IS an ACTUAL bee disease, and the dead dried pupa resemble STONES. (No word how they roll

)

Aspergillus flavus Link, a fungus, usually is isolated from bees that have stonebrood. This disease is unusual in that it infects both brood and adults. Bees dying from this disease form mummies. The fruiting bodies of the fungus make the infected bee appear yellowish-green or brown.

http://www.beesource.com/resources/usda/diseases-and-pests-of-honey-bees/

From Michael Bush ...

Stonebrood.

This is caused by a number of fungi Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus flavus. Extracts from this fungus are used to make Fumigillan used to treat Nosema. Larvae and pupae are susceptible. It causes mummification of the affected brood. Mummies are hard and solid, not sponge-like as with chalkbrood. Infected brood become covered with a powdery green growth of fungal spores. The majority of spores are found near the head of the affected brood. The main cause is too much moisture in the hive. Add some ventilation. Prop open the inner cover or open up the SBB. Treatment is not recommended. It will clear up on its own.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beespests.htm

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