# Chalky white stuff in cells



## inga (Feb 21, 2007)

We just bought a couple hives with one super each. In the one I've inspected so far, there was nothing but empty comb in the bottom box. I removed the box and put the super on the bottom, then put a medium super with HSC on the top. (The bees cover 10 frames rather thickly.)

Then I inspected the comb, just for interest's sake.

In several frames with plastic foundation, I found a number of cells with a chalky white substance. Below some of the white chalky material was pollen-colored chalky material. 

What am I seeing?


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

Chalk brood:

http://www.bushfarms.com/beespests.htm#chalkbrood
http://maarec.cas.psu.edu/pest&disease/slide25.htm


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## Michael Palmer (Dec 29, 2006)

>In several frames with plastic foundation, I found a number of cells with a chalky white substance. Below some of the white chalky material was pollen-colored chalky material. 

What am I seeing?


Not necessarily Chalkbrood. Could just be old pollen. Are you saying that below some of the white chalky material is pollen colored material...in the same cell? If so, it is probably old pollen. The bees will remove it.


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## inga (Feb 21, 2007)

Thanks for your reply, Michael Bush. Chalkbrood was my first thought, but the yellow-orange stuff in the bottom of many of the cells made me wonder.

And thanks, Michael Palmer, for the alternative explanation. 



Michael Palmer said:


> >In several frames with plastic foundation, I found a number of cells with a chalky white substance. Below some of the white chalky material was pollen-colored chalky material.
> 
> What am I seeing?
> 
> Not necessarily Chalkbrood. Could just be old pollen.





> Are you saying that below some of the white chalky material is pollen colored material...in the same cell? If so, it is probably old pollen. The bees will remove it.


Yes, below the chalky white stuff, in the same cell, many have gold-orange-colored material with the same hard, chalky texture. It would appear to be pollen if it did not have a white, chalky cap of about the same depth. It seems that these cells have about half yellow-orange material at the bottom, and the upper half is white. 

Some other cell areas on the same comb are empty, with white material around the rim. 

If the orange stuff is pollen, what is the white stuff?


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## livetrappingbymatt (Jan 13, 2006)

*white stuff?*

could this be crystalized honey?
bob


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## Michael Palmer (Dec 29, 2006)

>If the orange stuff is pollen, what is the white stuff?

Could be mold, I guess. Could be another color of pollen, and what is around the rim of empty cells is something else. Whatever, a strong colony will clean it up.


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## inga (Feb 21, 2007)

livetrappingbymatt said:


> could this be crystalized honey?
> bob


I don't think so. I recognize crystallized honey, and this stuff is literally the texture and color of white chalk. 

What mystifies me is that the chalky stuff is on top of something that looks like pollen, but is also very dry & therefore chalk textured.


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## inga (Feb 21, 2007)

Michael Palmer said:


> >If the orange stuff is pollen, what is the white stuff?
> 
> Could be mold, I guess. Could be another color of pollen, and what is around the rim of empty cells is something else. Whatever, a strong colony will clean it up.


I guess it will have to remain a mystery. 

Thanks for the input.


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## longarm (Apr 21, 2006)

It sounds like mold to me. 
I found the same thing in frames of a hive that had collapsed. White (and very occasionally green) mold on top of pollen in the same cell. My guess is that this hive you acquired has had time to dry out on the inside/has been unoccupied and so the white mold looks chalky instead of covered in very fine filaments. If it is mold - bees will clean it up as well as the cells it was in. At least that has been my experience.


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## inga (Feb 21, 2007)

longarm said:


> It sounds like mold to me.
> I found the same thing in frames of a hive that had collapsed. White (and very occasionally green) mold on top of pollen in the same cell. My guess is that this hive you acquired has had time to dry out on the inside/has been unoccupied and so the white mold looks chalky instead of covered in very fine filaments. If it is mold - bees will clean it up as well as the cells it was in. At least that has been my experience.


H'mm ... that seems the most reasonable conclusion for what I see. Thanks.


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