Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: rail on December 15, 2011, 06:11:12 PM

Title: Bee Feces
Post by: rail on December 15, 2011, 06:11:12 PM
Can the color of the bees' feces indicate the health of the hive?
Title: Re: Bee Feces
Post by: AllenF on December 15, 2011, 07:23:38 PM
Good question, but I doubt it.   See bees have different diets.   Nurse bees eat pollen mostly and foragers eat nectar mostly.   And the diet changes with the seasons and what's blooming.
Title: Re: Bee Feces
Post by: Michael Bush on December 15, 2011, 09:52:44 PM
The longer they have to hold it the darker it gets... but I don't see any connection per se.  Although Nosema also tends to make it darker.
Title: Re: Bee Feces
Post by: BjornBee on December 16, 2011, 07:37:12 AM
Yes, the color is an indication of bee health.

So is the location of the poop. Inside the hive, on the face of the outside of the box, on the ground around the hive, on the neigbors cars, etc.

Each bit of information can tell you another part of the puzzle.
Title: Re: Bee Feces
Post by: rail on December 16, 2011, 08:05:02 AM
Quote from: BjornBee on December 16, 2011, 07:37:12 AM
Yes, the color is an indication of bee health.

So is the location of the poop. Inside the hive, on the face of the outside of the box, on the ground around the hive, on the neigbors cars, etc.

Each bit of information can tell you another part of the puzzle.

Color: orange

Location: on the ground in front and under of the hive.