Dry Bee Carcass

[Palouse]

I saw two workers carrying this out of the hive tonight. It's dry as a bone. The eyes look too small to be drone brood. Anyone know what this might be? I suppose it could be a bee that died and dried up, but it looks immature to me.

[T Beek]

Its quite common to see dead and dying bees on the porch this time of year....the last chance to clean up things (and remove drones) before winter sets in.

[GSF]

I've "read" that they will often eat the discarded brood for protein purposes.

[T Beek]

I've "read" that they will often eat the discarded brood for protein purposes.

I'm not completely sure of that with honeybees being the ultimate vegetarians  :-\.  That said; The few dead bees left in front of my hives are usually gone by morning.  I see yellowjackets fiesting on them regularly during the day. 

I would think that if they do require some protein and do in fact eat their dead (or living for that matter) we wouldn't see so many being removed and discarded, after all, they're already inside, so why take them outside? 

I'm just uncertain about it is all.

[sc-bee]

Just hygenic behavior. I have also heard expericed beeks on here say bees will eat brood in a starvation period or may be just pull it out and unlaod it due to lack of resources.

[sc-bee]

I've "read" that they will often eat the discarded brood for protein purposes.

I'm not completely sure of that with honeybees being the ultimate vegetarians  :-\.  That said; The few dead bees left in front of my hives are usually gone by morning.  I see yellowjackets fiesting on them regularly during the day.  

I would think that if they do require some protein and do in fact eat their dead (or living for that matter) we wouldn't see so many being removed and discarded, after all, they're already inside, so why take them outside?  

I'm just uncertain about it is all.

Here is an August post from Mr. Bray:

>Bees will consume stores during inclimate weather both to survive and to rear more brood, when the honey and pollen is gone they will cannablize the brood, eggs, larva, and any pupa still in the white.  A hive can starve to death in less than a weak if the weather remains bad and the hive continues to rear brood.

[Palouse]

Thanks all for the answers.

I know that undertaker bees do such housekeeping, but they're usually dead carcasses that look like just-dead workers that they haul out of the hive and tend to leave on the landing board.

I just thought it odd that two workers not only wanted to get rid of a completely dried and odd looking carcass, they both flew it out away from the hive several feet and were struggling with it on the grass in front of the hive...points I did not add when I posted this using my iPhone...and which were probably important to the discussion...many apologies.

[Orlando]

Do the bees commonly pull out drone larvae/brood this time of year?