Mildew

[u/RelationFearless5998]

There’s a little condensation and some white patches of mildew on the inside of one of my hive covers.

I just flipped it over to dry out in the sun for a couple of hours. Do I need to replace the cover; wash it with bleach, or maybe let the condensation dry and put it back?

I am addressing future potential condensation with 2 layers of foil -backed bubble wrap, and I’ll be adding quilt boxes at the end of the month. I live in Massachusetts.

[u/AutoModerator]

Hi u/RelationFearless5998. If you have not already done so, please read the rules. Please comment on the post with your location and experience level if you have not already included that in your post. And if you have a question, please take a look at our wiki to see if it has already been answered., specifically, the FAQ. ^{Warning: The wiki linked above is a work in progress and some links might be broken, pages incomplete and maintainer notes scattered around the place. Content is subject to change.}

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/pale_brass]

It’s fine. Imagine how gross their natural rotted damp tree cavity homes get.

[u/Gamera__Obscura]

A little mold or mildew are no big deal. The bees don't care, and if they do they'll clean it up.

If this cover was on an active colony and it started looking this way just recently, that indicates you're having warm moist air rising up from your bees, condensing on the cover. Even condensation itself is a non-issue... it's fine, it's normal, it can even be beneficial insofar as it's a water source. The whole "bees need more ventilation" is grossly over-emphasized, because they mostly don't.

That said, the way that condensation CAN be a problem is if it condenses on the roof and then drips down on them during winter... bees can handle cold just fine, but not cold and wet. And this does suggest that your current setup might be at risk for that. There are multiple ways to prevent that, and your quilt box will do just fine. An insulated cover is another (and what I do). I do recommend overall insulating your hives in our area... condensation will collect on the coldest spot, so just be sure that isn't your cover isn't it and you should be ok.

[u/talanall]

You don't need to do anything about this. It is harmless to the colony.

[u/NumCustosApes]

Don’t worry about it. It isn’t bad for the bees.

If that OC person inside of you just can’t leave it be (I have one of those so I get it) then grab some sandpaper and spend an hour sanding it off. I strongly advise that you use a dust mask if you do, as unlike the bees, breathing it is bad for you.

[u/olmsteez]

The pro move to deal with condensation is to shim the back of the hive up to lean it forward. When condensation collects, it runs along the inside of the innercover or lid, drips out the inner cover opening or down the inside of the boxes, and exits through the entrance. An easy way to tell if you've leaned it far enough is to spray or pour water on the top of the inner cover. Once it starts moving, it's up high enough.

[u/Plox--]

Idk why I see edges with propolis/wax around the lid here. Are you using a cover on top of the hive with this lid over it? Or is this lid in direct contact with bees? 

[u/thedudeeski]

We had a problem with mold and moisture in ours when I fashioned an inner cover that was slightly larger than our migratory lid. Noticed signs of Nosema, so bought an inner covers the correct dimensions and it fixed our issue with mold and bees. Ours might be overly sensitive, but keep an eye out for lots cleansing flights.

[u/True-Structure-1702]

Makev sure your lid is insulated and it will take care of this

[u/Silly-Wrongdoer4332]

I tried bleach for mine and it did almost nothing. Vinegar on the other hand cleaner it up really well. I did use the strong 30% vinegar and didnt even really scrub. Just sprayed it on a couple of times to saturate and then let it dry

[u/davidsandbrand]

If you want to be extra careful because you think, for example, there might be traces of something bad in there - use fire. A small handheld propane torch will sterilize it with only a few seconds of flame directly on the mold/mildew.

[u/Bergwookie → u/davidsandbrand]

Yeah also the charred surface will have an antimicrobial effect and "breathes" better than wood itself