Behavioral Question

[Nugget Shooter]

I have noticed over the last few months that the guard bees seem to simply watch closely incoming workers and usually do not do much other than move their way or watch them enter the colony, but every now and then a worker will be stopped and 2 to 4 guards go over her grooming and puttering with gusto. This continues sometimes for a long time before she is released and enters the hive....

I am the curious type, but not much info I can find on what the guard bees are doing? Random pat down or is it something else? Inquiring new bee wants to know 

[BeeMaster2]

That is a good behavior that you want in your bees. They are looking for anything that does not smell right.
Jim

[Nugget Shooter]

Thanks for the reply Jim, it is interesting to watch and at first one would think the bee of interest was being attacked tussled around and rolled like that.... They sure look them over good.

[divemaster1963]

There the TSA screeners of the bee world.
Sometimes they just get a vero bug in there butts and they will strip search a hard worker bee for an reason .

John

[herbhome]

There the TSA screeners of the bee world.
Sometimes they just get a vero bug in there butts and they will strip search a hard worker bee for an reason .

John

That's funny!

[divemaster1963]

If you watch the action long enough youl see how real my joke maybe. Watch as they when go over one bee as as a yellowjacket fly's right on in before bbeing chased out later.  gest they don't racail profile either?

John