Paul Cronshaw wrote:
 
>I did a quick check of my hives this weekend and noticed white objects
>resembling corn kernals at the entrance of one hive.
>
>Any ideas of what these might be?  If so, what strategy do I need to know
>about before I go and diassemble the hive for closer inspection?
 
   Colonies can normally handle chalk brood (resembling corn kernals)
before those mummies have formed.  In my studies of varroa infested
colonies, I have found that colonies under stress from varroa no longer
seem able to cope.  the result has been a severe eruption of chalk brood.
In an advanced stage, half of the brood can be chalk brood and the other
half quite neglected larvae.
 
                                                Adrian
 
Adrian M. Wenner                         (805) 893-2838 (UCSB office)
Ecol., Evol., & Marine Biology           (805) 893-8062  (UCSB FAX)
Univ. of Calif., Santa Barbara           (805) 963-8508 (home office & FAX)
Santa Barbara, CA  93106