[Mountainhousehoney]

As I have said in several posts, I inherited a hive earlier this year and am just getting into beekeeping. I just reversed the hive today as it was the first day warm enough to do it and I hope they will make it after the cold winter. I saw a lot of dead bees on the bottom board (about two cups worth). I thought bees removed the dead? Also, and the reason for this post, I saw little grains of sand that were yellow in color on the bottom board and at the entrance. What is it, spent pollen? Just wondering if I need to be doing something with this hive or if I need to worry about it infecting my two nucs? Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[cg3]

Do you have a State Inspector that could look?

 

[JRG13]

It's wax cappings, sounds like maybe robbing or they're going through honey stores

 

[sqkcrk]

My guess too. Chewed up wax cappings.

Are there any bees in your hive? Any brood?

 

[drtoddh]

Agree. Sounds like what my wax cappings look like after the bees open a cell.

 

[Karen]

The bees do clean the hive but when there are that many I sweep them out for them. the sandy stuff = wax cappings

 

[Bees In Miami]

I agree that the sandy looking stuff is wax capping bits...Tell us more about the hive, and it's population. A healthy populated hive will not allow dead bees to accumulate. It doesn't mean your inherited hive is sick... maybe underpopulated, or too much space? Is there brood in that hive? Have you spotted the queen? More info please...