Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: Grant on July 01, 2006, 08:54:28 PM

Title: Grey or white honey bees
Post by: Grant on July 01, 2006, 08:54:28 PM
While observing my three hives in the back yard, I noticed that the first hive had a few  grey honey bees going in.  I have never seen  that light of a bee. Any guesses ?  The hive seems strong I doubt if they are robbers  from a different hive.
Title: Grey or white honey bees
Post by: Scott Derrick on July 02, 2006, 02:49:27 AM
Possible newborn bee or a bee with deformed wing virus. Check this out. It was a photo from my hive a while back.

http://www.midstatebeekeepers.com/hive_photos/sick_bee.JPG
Title: Grey or white honey bees
Post by: Brian D. Bray on July 02, 2006, 05:43:44 AM
Don't panic, the queen mates with as many as a dozen or even more drones during her maiden flights.  She could be carrying sperm from several different varieties of bees: Italian, Carnoilans, Russian, and Buckfast, to name a few.  
Another possiblity is that those bees got there from drift from another hive or got tired from carrying a heavy load and stopped off at the closest hive to unload, in which case you are now a little more nectar and a few bees richer.  (that last sentence sounds rediculous, but believe me it happens.)
Title: Grey or white honey bees
Post by: bassman1977 on July 03, 2006, 12:27:43 AM
Looks like a newborn to me.