In a message dated 99-03-27 18:26:36 EST, you write:

<< My husband, the beekeeper, is away on business for the week. While he was
 gone I went out to check on our hive. I found the upper super with bees
 drawing out comb, but when I removed the super to check the top brood,
 there were about three clumps of propolis covered magot-like creatures. The
 bees were all over them and evidently trying to get rid of them. They are
 completely white about 3/4 to 1 inch long and about a 1/4 inch thick. The
 clusters were on top of the bars. I was unable to get to the frames that
 they were sitting on. I guess I chickened out after being stung twice. I
 thought I had better wait for the beekeeper to return! Can anyone identify
 these pests? I looked in Root's ABC book, but they didn't seem to fit the
 description of any of the wax moth larvae. >>

    My guess, without seeing it, is that the bees built some burr comb, and
the queen filled with with drone brood.  It's quite normal.

    If all the drone brood comb is removed by the beekeeper, the bees will
make it wherever they can, especially in the spring. Sometimes they'll even
tear out worker brood comb. But it is quite common for them to fill up the
spacing between boxes with drone brood, especially if it's a bit bigger gap
than normal "bee space."

Dave Green   SC  USA
The Pollination Home Page   http://www.pollinator.com
The Pollination Scene   http://members.aol.com/pollinator/polpage1.html

Jan's Sweetness and Light Shop on the Internet  (honey & beeswax candles)
http://members.aol.com/SweetnessL/sweetlit.htm