> Has anyone out there ever heard of putting a cut up banana into your bee
> hive to clean up chalkbrood.

This may be a revelation that is getting out of context and proportion.  I
heard such a story at the fall meeting of the Empire State Honey Producers
Association meeting at which a Florida queen breeder spoke.  When asked for
his recipe for supplemental feeding, the recipe included the usual stuff
(pollen, pollen substitute (such as Bee-Pro or soy flour and yeast), sugar
syrup) and the "secret ingredient" was mashed banana!  The mashed banana as
part of the recipe for pollen substitute was reported to clear up
chalkbrood.

The Florida queen breeder got the tip from some Eastern European beekeepers
who visited the Florida operation.  The eastern European beekeepers
purportedly have inserted a sliced banana (lengthwise, skin included) into
the hives to clear up chalkbrood.  Claim is it works.  The Florida queen
breeder claims no chalkbrood problem and attributes it to the banana.

I have not tried this home remedy nor have I even seen anything in print
quoting scientific studies.

Aaron Morris - thinking that's no banana, that's my nose!