# Anyone have any idea what this white stuff would be in a nectar cell?



## BeeGhost (May 7, 2011)

Checked on my only remaining hive I had in town and discovered it was dead. Upon a quick inspection through all the European ants I found a really small dead cluster, a few cells with capped brood, other cells with emerging bees with their tongues out and white specks in cells.........I am sure this hive died from Varroa as well, just like the other hive did next to it back in November. Anyhow, upon inspection I seen that there was a white milky substance in with the fresh nectar that was brought in. There was even milky white substance in with some pollen cells as well. I will be bringing this hive home tomorrow after work to further investigate things and get more pictures.

Here are some of the drone cells filled with the white substance:










Any Ideas?? 

Thanks!!
Jason


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## Bees In Miami (Nov 30, 2012)

Though it's just a guess, could it be larvae in various stages of decomposition? A couple cells there still look like larvae...


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## BeeGhost (May 7, 2011)

Bees In Miami said:


> Though it's just a guess, could it be larvae in various stages of decomposition? A couple cells there still look like larvae...


Not larvae decomposing. The white stuff was found in the pollen cells and cells that had unripened nectar in them. This frame didn't have any capped brood on it at all, and it was 4 frames from the "cluster" and any capped cells. 

Just plain weird, at first I thought maybe a poison of some sort. I have no idea!!


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## praxis178 (Dec 26, 2012)

Almost looks like some kind of microbe, yeasty looking but would need to be cultured out on differential media to narrow down further. Sorry for your loos though.


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## Jim Patterson (Apr 11, 2010)

were you feeding sugar syrup? looks like granulated sugar


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## BeeGhost (May 7, 2011)

It could be yeast, never thought of that!

It's not sugar syrup as I was fortunate that the city hives had plenty of forage all year, Infact the top 10 frame deep is packed with honey. Never had to feed this hive and this was a large swarm I caught in late February of last year. They drew out two 10 frame deeps and most of a 10 frame medium and had surplus honey.


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## tommyt (Aug 7, 2010)

Maybe fermenting nectar


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## DC Bees (Sep 24, 2009)

I see this in the winter in cells with open nectar my guess it's sugar crystals.


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## mmmooretx (Jun 4, 2012)

tommyt said:


> Maybe fermenting nectar


That does look like foam on top of nectar to me too.


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## trykonxlgold85 (Feb 7, 2012)

I have the same thing. Not sure what it was. Do you think it will be ok to give the frames to a new package in the spring.


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## DC Bees (Sep 24, 2009)

trykonxlgold85 said:


> I have the same thing. Not sure what it was. Do you think it will be ok to give the frames to a new package in the spring.


Yes, the bees will clean it up in the spring.Nice to see somebody close by,good luck.


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## BeeRoger (Sep 26, 2012)

It looks like crystalized honey to me. The bees ate the liquid honey out of the cells and left the crystales behind. Check the bottom board to see if any crystales are there.


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## paintingpreacher (Jul 29, 2006)

I agree, it is crystalized honey. Some varieties will crystalize sooner than others.


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## Eddie Honey (May 30, 2011)

I agree with crystalized honey...or ..the bees have poured themselves a cold one and your seeing the head on the beers.


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## BeeGhost (May 7, 2011)

Ive never seen crystalized honey, so im not sure. Do crystals usually float around in the nectar?? I dont know, they are also in the pollen cells. I'll take better pictures tonight when I get the hive home!

Eddie, that would be the unltimate hive, pour a couple cells of beer for ya on a hot day!!


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## squarepeg (Jul 9, 2010)

it might be that the bees are using water to try to dissolve the crystals.


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## BeeManiac (Feb 26, 2012)

There must be some fracking going on near you!!! =)


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

It is granulated honey that we get in fall here in the Bay Area. I have many combs right now that won't extract. I left a few supers on strong hives and it got filled with that stuff. Put it back on the hives and it seems to disappear.


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## Adrian Quiney WI (Sep 14, 2007)

I see it to from time to time. I believe it is granulated feed. It is definitely not a problem.


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## BeeGhost (May 7, 2011)

odfrank said:


> It is granulated honey that we get in fall here in the Bay Area. I have many combs right now that won't extract. I left a few supers on strong hives and it got filled with that stuff. Put it back on the hives and it seems to disappear.


Thanks Ollie, never seen it before, so its good to know its not harmful. Do you by chance know what the source might be?


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## BeeGhost (May 7, 2011)

BeeManiac said:


> There must be some fracking going on near you!!! =)


The bees were sure drawn to this old abandoned trailer down in the woods!!LOL 

Would it be legal if I sold it as "crystal honey"!!


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## mleck (Sep 10, 2010)

Thanks for this thread. I found this very thing today in two dead out hives. I was scared I had a diease and almost burnt my two hives. I think I will wait and see more answers now.


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## rbees (Jun 25, 2012)

Crystallized honey...Not a big deal


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## rbees (Jun 25, 2012)

BeeGhost said:


> Would it be legal if I sold it as "crystal honey"!!


Yup...As long as it didn't come from sugar syrup, but from actual nectar. That said...good luck spinning it out to sell it.


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## BeeGhost (May 7, 2011)

rbees said:


> Yup...As long as it didn't come from sugar syrup, but from actual nectar. That said...good luck spinning it out to sell it.


I was actually making a spoof of "crystal meth". I have never experienced crystalized honey until now, but have read enough about it to know there aint no extracting it!!


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## Ben Brewcat (Oct 27, 2004)

I see it a lot, our late rabbitbrush flow is a strong crystallizer and I've assumed it's crystallized honey. It'll get cleaned up.


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