Dave Meldrum wrote:

> I found that the hive was still alive (a weak hive, but still
> going).  The interesting part is there was honey on the bottom board, just
> outside of the mouse guard.

Just a guess, but if there are other hives in the area there could be
robbing going on. Weak hives do encourage it and the weather has been
tropical down there these past few days.

If the honey was on the bottom board inside the hive, I would guess
fermented honey which does get watery and drop. It is easily shaken out
in the spring, which is where we are now.

It might not be honey. Could be poop. They are flying and lots of yellow
rain on the snow outside my colonies. Or dysentery, but now we are
getting gross.

This is a question which is difficult to answer without looking into the
colony or sitting outside in front of the hive and observing.

Nice Perry Mason mystery, though- "The Case of the Tell Tale Drop".

Bill Truesdell
Bath, Maine

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