Hi Dave/All Dave - you describe a super that has become unpleasant smelling due to being left with I suspect some residual honey in it. What you describe is a typical fermentation reaction. The beehive has a number of dominant yeasts in it (Candida apiculata, apis, Torulops etc) as well as any gunk the bees dragged their feet through in the flowers etc. I have assayed the microbes on the brood surface and found all sorts of things, including Candida albicans.(all of these yeasts can be human pathogens, as can Saccharomyces the brewing yeast) If you leave honey that is uncapped, the wild yeasts soon ferment it as it's draws moisture and can then no longer retard microbial growth. I would recoment rinsing the combs in water, then letting them dry. You will find that honey from this super will tend to ferment more easily as most hive yeasts are spore forming and hence leave spores impregnated in the wax - if conditions are ever right again these will become active. Keep well Garth PS - the problem could also be beetles. Garth Cambray Camdini Apiaries Grahamstown Apis mellifera capensis Eastern Cape Prov. South Africa Time = Honey After careful consideration, I have decided that if I am ever a V.I.P the I. may not stand for important. (rather influential, ignorant, idiotic, intelectual, illadvised etc)