# What is this in my bottom tray **URL:** \ **Category:** Pests and Diseases\ **Created:** [October 22, 2019, 9:35am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/what-is-this-in-my-bottom-tray/23526 "2019-10-22T09:35:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![9magenta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/9/13edae/32.png) [@9magenta](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/9magenta)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2019, 9:35am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/what-is-this-in-my-bottom-tray/23526/1 "2019-10-22T09:35:47Z")
Hi people what is this that is in my hive ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/honeyflow/original/3X/f/4/f458740d1a44fef057fb015349a5d2e74ea80000.jpeg) ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/honeyflow/original/3X/3/3/335b2b15b6ac859638c98a8c033cba30002f52f8.jpeg) ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/honeyflow/original/3X/a/c/ac7a21c36e02fa1fca857663f3a5336bdee061bc.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Bush](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/michael_bush/32/1024_2.png) [@Michael\_Bush](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Michael_Bush)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2019, 5:12pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/what-is-this-in-my-bottom-tray/23526/2 "2019-10-22T17:12:56Z")
Can you put something in the background to give an idea of the scale? Like a coin or your finger… ---
**Author:** ![Eva](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dbc845/32.png) [@Eva](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Eva)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2019, 6:37pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/what-is-this-in-my-bottom-tray/23526/3 "2019-10-22T18:37:39Z")
Judging from the overview pic of your tray it’s the largest object there, but a coin or something would help with scale as Michael said. I think it could be a chunk of wax or maybe a cocoon of another insect? ---
**Author:** ![JeffH](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/jeffh/32/7192_2.png) [@JeffH](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/JeffH)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2019, 7:40pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/what-is-this-in-my-bottom-tray/23526/4 "2019-10-22T19:40:26Z")
It looks a bit like a chalk brood mummy to me. ---
**Author:** ![Peter48](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/peter48/32/14625_2.png) [@Peter48](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Peter48)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2019, 9:28pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/what-is-this-in-my-bottom-tray/23526/5 "2019-10-22T21:28:41Z")
I have to agree with Jeff, from first hand experience it looks like a chalk brood mummie to me and that could be confirmed by an inspection of the the brood frames looking for more of them in the cells or by regularly checking the tray. If it is hard and looks dehydrated that will me a further indicator of chalk brood Aaron. I had a hive with it about 6 months ago after having moved the hive. It is not a symptom of bad hive management or anything that you have done. It can happen by a sudden change in temperatures or as simple as relocating a hive that causes stress to the colony that triggers it. Cheers ---
**Author:** ![Freebee2](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/freebee2/32/18643_2.png) [@Freebee2](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Freebee2)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2019, 11:03pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/what-is-this-in-my-bottom-tray/23526/6 "2019-10-22T23:03:55Z")
My bet would also be [chalk brood](https://www.honeyflow.com/media/docs/Pests_Chalkbrood_2015_11_11.pdf) but as others have mentioned scale will help to narrow it down. How is your colony otherwise? ---
**Author:** ![9magenta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/9/13edae/32.png) [@9magenta](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/9magenta)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2019, 12:09am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/what-is-this-in-my-bottom-tray/23526/7 "2019-10-23T00:09:57Z")
What and how do I deal with this being new to bee ---
**Author:** ![9magenta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/9/13edae/32.png) [@9magenta](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/9magenta)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2019, 1:08am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/what-is-this-in-my-bottom-tray/23526/8 "2019-10-23T01:08:28Z")
That’s it there ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/honeyflow/original/3X/f/3/f3c5fdf59f92677b586e73012f7fcb03a6e7b435.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![9magenta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/9/13edae/32.png) [@9magenta](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/9magenta)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2019, 1:15am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/what-is-this-in-my-bottom-tray/23526/9 "2019-10-23T01:15:12Z")
Does this work ?? > **[Apprentice stumbles on solution to Alice Springs bee disease](https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2016-06-15/apprentice-beekeeper-stumbles-on-solution-to-disease/7511830)** > > Bee disease staved off by apprentice keeper. ---
**Author:** ![Dawn\_SD](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/dawn_sd/32/15954_2.png) [@Dawn\_SD](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Dawn_SD)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2019, 1:26am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/what-is-this-in-my-bottom-tray/23526/10 "2019-10-23T01:26:04Z")
I would say chalk brood, except that it is a bit big to get through the mesh of the screened bottom board, and there is only one. Still possible, but hard to say on the evidence here. If it was my hive, I would do a thorough brood inspection on a warm day. It looks like if there is a problem, it is on frame 6, 7 or 8 (numbered from left to right). You can easily see chalk brood on an inspection, and if you don’t know what to look for, you could post a photo or two here and we will help. I would like to be definitive, but one “dead body” is just not enough for me. 😊 ---
**Author:** ![JeffH](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/jeffh/32/7192_2.png) [@JeffH](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/JeffH)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2019, 4:11am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/what-is-this-in-my-bottom-tray/23526/11 "2019-10-23T04:11:16Z")
Hi Dawn, the flow2’s have a slotted metal floor. What you say about only one getting through is a good point. There could be a whole lot more on top of the floor or on the ground near the entrance. ---
**Author:** ![Peter48](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/peter48/32/14625_2.png) [@Peter48](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Peter48)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2019, 6:34am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/what-is-this-in-my-bottom-tray/23526/12 "2019-10-23T06:34:59Z")
Hello Again Aaron, I’m sure if you look on the ground outside the entrance you will find mummies there as well as on the mesh floor of the hive, the bees remove the mummies from the hive, an inspection of the brood frames and looking for cells that appear to be FULL of a white object that you can remove easily with tweezers and it appears to be ‘dried out’ is a good indicator of chalk brood. There won’t be just the one mummie. Chalk brood spores can last for years in a hive with minor out breaks but from my experience they get less intense. A friend at the Qld DPI advised replacing brood frames one at a time every 4 weeks to reduce the spore count which I have done, it might help but my hive still has minor out breaks. Chalk brood is NOT reportable to the DPI in any state of Australia and there is no quick fix treatment, the colony won’t be as strong as it could be but it won’t collapse either. Requeening might help but if the present queen is laying well I’m not sure that is a good option as the spores attack the brood larvae as it develops. Cheers ---
**Author:** ![9magenta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/9/13edae/32.png) [@9magenta](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/9magenta)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2019, 6:41am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/what-is-this-in-my-bottom-tray/23526/13 "2019-10-23T06:41:44Z")
Thanks for that, there are no mummies at the exit only the pictured in the tray, so I think it’s just maybe a small cycle the hive is very busy ---
**Author:** ![Ally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8edcca/32.png) [@Ally](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Ally)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2019, 7:27am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/what-is-this-in-my-bottom-tray/23526/14 "2019-10-24T07:27:26Z")
Chalk brood. My hive in Melbourne has this. Lots in winter and I’m told by other beekeepers that the hot weather clears it up. I haven’t seen it completely clear up, but it was much reduced In the warmer weather. I think it’s pretty common, at least down south… Even with this I have a strong hive producing well. Good luck,