Bees with mohawks?

Started by fermentedhiker, August 08, 2009, 11:40:57 PM

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fermentedhiker

August 08, 2009, 11:40:57 PM
When doing a full inspection of my four hives I noticed some odd looking girls in the hive started from a Russian package this spring.  I didn't see any of them in the other hives and I only notice about 10-15 of them in this hive.  They seem to have a white stripe on their thorax.  At first I assumed that they were just young bees who just hadn't settled into their fuzz yet.  I'm not sure though.  The stripe is sooo bright it's uncanny and I observed one of them with pollen in her baskets which I think means she was a forager.  As I zoom in on the two photos in the link I'm struck by the remarkable diversity in the workers ranging from typical Russian types to I Italian, Silver like Caucasians and quite a number of reddish ones as well.  The queen must have had quite a nuptial flight to get so much genetic material to work with  :-D

anybody seen this before?


http://picasaweb.google.com/fermentedhiker/Bees?feat=directlink
Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so.
--Douglas Adams

Rebel Rose Apiary

#1
August 08, 2009, 11:50:41 PM
Are you sure that it is not 'white out' that someone put on them to try and 'bee line' your bees? Some bee hunters use it to mark the bees so they can tell approx. how far the colony is and to try and locate them.

It might be that your foragers got marked by someone trying to find a bee tree.

Brenda

fermentedhiker

#2
August 08, 2009, 11:58:03 PM
that's a good thought.  I mulled that over as well.  Just wasn't sure anybody else around here kept bees.  I know there is one other hive in range of my property because if I open feed I'll get foragers that leave the feeder headed off in another direction but I couldn't say whether they are feral or not.  I considered trying to beeline them but haven't had time to consider it.  Maybe someone beat me to it and is trying to follow my girls home :).  I can't say as I"m sure what it is.  Most of the workers who had it were dark ones with a whitish cast as opposed to the one in the center of the pictures I posted.  Which would fit with someone trying to mark them and dusting them with something, but the other girls weren't making an attempt to clean it off of them.  I'll have to keep an eye out for any errant bee-rustlers. Better keep my 12 gauge at the ready  :-D
Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so.
--Douglas Adams

Joelel

#3
August 09, 2009, 12:28:47 AM
Someone put moccasins on my bees feet one day.
Acts2:37: Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
38: Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
39: For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
40: And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation

sarafina

#4
August 09, 2009, 12:32:17 AM
OT:  I love your sig line, fermentedhiker!  I am  Douglas Adams fan from way back.....   :-D

RayMarler

#5
August 09, 2009, 01:47:04 AM
Yea, I see that here in the early springtimes. It's some flower slapping the bee as they steal the nectar. I forget which it is. As the bee digs in deep to get to the nectar, as she leaves, the flower snaps back into place and gives the bees the striped backs.

Robo

#6
August 09, 2009, 08:21:17 AM
Adam,

A few years ago I had some bees with the same thing.  Never did figure it out, but didn't seem to bother them.  I just figured it was something they got into while foraging....
"Opportunity is missed by most people because it comes dressed in overalls and looks like work." - Thomas Edison


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fermentedhiker

#7
August 09, 2009, 10:48:12 AM
Thanks for the replies.  I'm not too worried about it I guess.  I'm more worried about the weather and getting them built up in time for winter.  All four hives are light by my estimation with two especially so.  Time will tell.

Sarafina; Douglas Adams is awesome  :-D
Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so.
--Douglas Adams

BoBn

#8
August 09, 2009, 07:08:03 PM
Jewel weed (Touch-me-not) flowers leave a nice white stripe like that.  Maybe it's the source?  There are probably may kinds flowers that do the same thing.
"Millions of innocent men, women, and children, since the introduction of Christianity, have been burnt, tortured, fined, and imprisoned; yet we have not advanced one inch toward uniformity. What has been the effect of coercion? To make one-half the world fools and the other half hypocrites."
--Thomas Jefferson

Natalie

#9
August 09, 2009, 10:00:29 PM
Looks like Adam's girls are in a gang, they are wearing their "colors" to represent.

fermentedhiker

#10
August 09, 2009, 11:29:09 PM
Quote from: Natalie on August 09, 2009, 10:00:29 PM
Looks like Adam's girls are in a gang, they are wearing their "colors" to represent.

Oh great Natalie, just what I need more women with attitude in my life :)
Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so.
--Douglas Adams

deknow

#11
August 10, 2009, 08:20:37 AM
yes, jewelweed is what you are seeing (i thought the bees had a fungal infection the first time i saw it).

the flower is orchid shaped...and their forehead gets painted when they push their heads down to get nectar.

deknow


Quote from: BoBn on August 09, 2009, 07:08:03 PM
Jewel weed (Touch-me-not) flowers leave a nice white stripe like that.  Maybe it's the source?  There are probably may kinds flowers that do the same thing.

fermentedhiker

#12
August 11, 2009, 09:27:35 AM
thanks for the replies.  I'll have to keep my eyes peeled for jewel weed now.  Maybe give me an idea how far my girls are flying.
Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so.
--Douglas Adams
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