Hi Everybody,
I noticed for the first time yesterday the real hygienic activity of a nuc that i made. I saw the bees carrying out dead brood from the hive and depositing it out of the entrance - there was no discolouring or odour from the brood, they were a crisp white, and no noticeable decay etc. I think it was just brood that died when i was making the nuc through chilling or just the fact that they didnt hatch - I introduced a new queen and figure they're probably cleaning out cells for her to lay in.
Anyway, i was just wondering if anyone has ever noticed dead brood with the underside of their thorax chewed out? what does this mean? is it normal?
Do you think they were chewed when they were pulled out of the comb?
I often see my bees pull out pupae at the purple-eye stage, and occasionally a larva. I haven't seen them right when they are thrown out, only when they are uncapped before being pulled from the cell, or after laying on the ground when the ants have gotten them.
I've heard that if they need extra protein, bees will eat some larvae. Perhaps that is what's happening?
I think they were chewed at, or just after, pulling out of the comb... They have been bringing in truck loads of pollen lately but I might get a pollen pattie and add it and see what that does... Thanks for your thoughts :)
What are the temp. May be chill brood :?
BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)
It has been quite cold at night - close to freezing... on one side of the nucleus that i setup all i had to cover the brood frame was an empty undrawn foundation - if the bees didnt cluster much on that side it is more than possible that some of the brood got chilled