While watching the bees yesterday eve we saw a bee fly out of the bottom (and only) entrance and drop something on the grass. It appeared to be a half-formed dead bee, it’s skin was translucent and there was a black patch in the middle. It could have been in the pupae stage. Does anyone have any clues as to what it may be or seen that kind of behaviour before?
Could it be a pest which had been growing in the comb and the bee had found it and tossed it out.
Potentially chilled brood or brood that has been damaged by a pest (or manipulation of frames). Also may have been a chalk mummy if it looked dry/hard.
Worth checking your brood for any signs of disease or issues.
It’s common/normal for affected/damaged brood to be removed from the hive by workers to maintain the hygiene of the hive.
It’s probably not that it’s too cold, at this time of year the night the air temp doesn’t fall below 10 degrees and the daytime air temp is HIGH. I will open the brood tomorrow.
Hi, Firstly, i went down to see Sciencemaster on Sunday with my Mummy Like Bee, Sciencemaster said it didn’t look like chalk board, it was not hard enough.
I opened the brood and examined all the frames, they all look fine it was probably an odd one out. Thanks.