Hi,This is my first season and I am not sure if this is normal,on opening my hive today to feed for the winter I noticed around a dozen bees on the OMF that are pure white with brown eyes.
I can only assume that the bees have torn the capped cells open and thrown them out?
They are pure white and in good condition(not brown or dry).
They are probably drone cell's that they are getting rid of to get ready for winter
Thank you Irwin,I did notice they are pulling drones accross the landing board and not alowing them back in.
It can occasionally be from an infestation of mites. If you can tell if these are worker pupae or drone pupae that helps tell what is going on. If workers then you may be somewhat concerned.
I medicate with thymol in the fall (now) and that stimulates the bees to chew out pupae as well, so if you are currently treating them with something that can be helpful to know too.
Rick
LOL yes I started treating with Thymol last week.
Can you maybe explain why Thymol makes them chew out pupae?
If I remember correctly, it was Mr. Bush who had mentioned to me that if there is a dearth, the bees will cannibalize the brood if there isn't enough stores to support all of it. Makes me wonder about the definition of cannibalization in this situation. Does it mean that the bees literally devour the brood or do they just yank the brood out of the cells such as what you are seeing. I'm thinking they do not literally eat their brood.
In any case, if you don't have much of a flow, this may be another reason for what you are seeing. I would tend to go more with Irwin's explanation though. That sounds dead on for this time of year.
Quote from: bassman1977 on September 03, 2008, 12:17:28 PM
If I remember correctly, it was Mr. Bush who had mentioned to me that if there is a dearth, the bees will cannibalize the brood if there isn't enough stores to support all of it. Makes me wonder about the definition of cannibalization in this situation. Does it mean that the bees literally devour the brood or do they just yank the brood out of the cells such as what you are seeing. I'm thinking they do not literally eat their brood.
Think again. They will canabalize the brood, eggs, larvae, and pupae that are still "white" in order to keep the queen and living workers alive during a dearth. I had mine do just that earlier this year when winter ran from March to May and the bees couldn't get out to forage I couldn't get in to feed them. I lost 3 out of 5 hives. They ate everything that was white, they even opened up brood cells with almost mature bees and just left the fully developed brood in the combs to clean out later, which they did once the weather got better and I started feeding.
QuoteIn any case, if you don't have much of a flow, this may be another reason for what you are seeing. I would tend to go more with Irwin's explanation though. That sounds dead on for this time of year.
Even a flow will not do you any good if the weather is against the bees being able to forage.