i gave a split to a friend in the next street about 4 weeks ago and she purchased a queen. This week, we checked the hive and found plenty of brood, but also this white mass in the corner.
Does anyone know what it might be? I’d be grateful for any advice you can offer.
Hi Tamara and welcome! What you’re seeing is drone larvae after the caps were scraped open, when this frame was lifted out of the box. It can happen easily during an inspection, given that drone brood extends farther out than worker brood.
Here are some tips to lower the risk of damage:
Ensure that all frames are pushed together toward the middle of the box so there is a space on either side between the two outer frames and the box sides. This allows you to move an outer frame away from its neighbor and have a bit of space to gently lift it -straight up and out.
Work slowly and lift frames straight up and parallel to overall frame alignment. Be mindful of not tipping or tilting frames as you lift them out and lower them back in.
Use a frame rest where you can safely leave the first outer frame you remove while you inspect. Leaning it against the box is often the way drone brood and bees get crushed.
Stay on top of burr and bridge comb - trim it away carefully whenever you see it, so it doesn’t become a protrusion that ends up gouging comb faces as you lift frames.
Strong colonies will clean up damage quickly, so don’t worry too much about this little mishap!
