>You can clean the hives by washing them >with a sodiumhydroxide solution Has anyone tried using Hydrogen Peroxide to wash combs with Foulbrood? After my first winter in beekeeping, all three of my hives died of an unknown disease. They had a white-ish mould growing on some of them, particularly where there was pollen. A friend of mine suggested washing them with a diluted Hydrogen Peroxide solution, and I did, and put new bees in them and they seemed to be fine. Since peroxide is used as an antiseptic on cuts, etc, I would assume it kills bacteria, which is what Foulbrood is. No? And if it does work, it should be safer than sodium hydroxide, which I think is the same as bleach or similar. Just a thought. Comments? Ian Watson [log in to unmask] real estate agent gardener baritone beekeeper---> 13 colonies