Yeasty Bees

Notes: Bees have finished one quart of 2:1 sugar water, which was added on Monday. Debating whether to continue feeding.

Today I opened the hive briefly to show Tina the inside. It still smells like yeast. Tina thought it smelled like wood at first, and I wondered if my sense of smell was a off due to a recent cold. But she eventually agreed that it did smell like yeast. Everything I've read points to chalkbrood, which is a fungal infection that is generally not lethal for the colony. That's a relief! I also read that chalkbrood is usually spread by putting infected parts into a hive and that the spores can live for up to three years. It's more often present in wet springs. None of this really fits my hive. Although I suppose that the couple of used frames I got with the colony could have brought it. I'm inclined to wait and see what happens. Suggested 'cures' include re-queening and better ventilation. They should be good on ventilation with the screened bottom board, and I would prefer not to re-queen at this point.

I do have a theory, which is basically that they have a yeast infection. Too much sugar syrup is feeding yeast that is already present in the hive, and it is growing out of control. Funnily enough, one of the suggestions for controlling chalkbrood is to feed sugar water in the fall. Who knows!

On another subject, I bought flower seeds today. I have Rainbow Nasturtiums, Sun Flowers, French Lavender, Cornflowers, Alpine Strawberries, Persian Violets, Heirloom pepper box poppies, and Thyme. I tried to find things that would flower in early spring when the bees are starting to venture out of the hive again. Julie said she would help me, and she is giving me a terracotta strawberry pot. Fun!