I have a colony that went into winter weak - probably too weak - and is still
experiencing problems. I am wondering if anyone on the list has any ideas. I
will give some background first: This colony struggled all the last two years
and never really built up. It was requeened last spring. I treated them with
Apistan last spring and fall and with teramycin last fall.
On a recent mild day I inspected them and found them even weaker - only about
three frames of bees. I noticed some capped brood that had holes in the
cappings. I opened a few and there was a light brown to grey liquid inside. It
had a thick consistency, but not gooey. It had a bad smell, but I had to put it
directly to my nose to smell it. No particularly bad odor was coming from the
hive, though. The queen was present and was laying in a small pattern.
Any ideas of what I might be experiencing?
George Clarkson
Columbia, SC
USA
70641,[log in to unmask]