Hello Bee-Liners,
 
        I've been a hobbyist beekeeper since 1994 in Taghkanic, NY (Columbia
Co., latitude 42).  On the first warm day in March 1996 I found that my
2 hives were dead--Buckfast bees, standard Dadant hive bodies, each with
20 frames of fully built-out Duragilt foundation, completely full of
honey, pollen, dead brood and dead bees.  A disgusting mess--if they
starved they did so in hives full of honey.  My guess is the hives died
early in the winter since there was no sign or sound of activity after
about November 1995.  Both hives had been treated with Apistan and
Fumadil in accordance with instructions and had Terra patties (which
they didn't seem to like); they went into the winter seemingly vigorous,
well populated and healthy; nonetheless,in the absence of any other
apparent cause I assume the hives were killed by Varroa or the
associated virus (I found Varroa in May 1995 and treated with Apistan
both then and in the fall).  The hives were set up so that there was
indirect ventilation from the the top as well as the entrance-reduced
opening at the bottom.  There was no noticeable odor nor, to my
uninformed eye (but I did read the texts), any obvious sign of foulbrood
or other disease. The comb and some of the dead bees, however, were
largely covered with what looked like garden variety mold, much like
what appears on old bread; I assume but obviously cannot be sure that
the mold was a result, not a cause, of the hive death.  I took the risk
of using the least contaminated comb together with new foundation to
start new hives with package bees in May 1996.  Since one of the new
hives seemed weak (it came with a dead queen and had to be requeened and
thus had a really late start), I combined the 2 into a single hive in
August 1996 and as of my last visit a week ago (I live in NYC and keep
my beehives at my weekend house) the combined hive appeared to be
well-populated and thriving.  I have stored the remaining contaminated
foundation--honey, mold and all--over the winter in the basement
(consistent 40 degrees Fahrenheit).
        My question is this:  Would it be safe to use the remaining moldy brood
foundation for my second hive of package bees arriving this Spring?  Any
thoughts would be appreciated.
 
        Thanks.
 
        Jeff Tallackson ([log in to unmask], or [log in to unmask])
        Sunday, February 16, 1997