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Author Topic: Why Do Bees fly away with larvae?  (Read 5341 times)

Offline blanc

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Why Do Bees fly away with larvae?
« on: April 29, 2012, 11:14:28 pm »
Was watching the bees today form a cutout and noticed them cleaning out hives but noticed a couple flying away with larvae. Was surprised that they could carry the weight. Any explanations? Thx for any replies!
Psalm 19:9-10
The fear of the Lord is clean,enduring forever; the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold, yea ,than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

Offline LoriMNnice

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Re: Why Do Bees fly away with larvae?
« Reply #1 on: April 29, 2012, 11:41:52 pm »
Maybe they are super clean freaks and are cleaning house and taking them far away instead of dumping them close to the hive :)
Lori

Offline AndrewT

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Re: Why Do Bees fly away with larvae?
« Reply #2 on: April 30, 2012, 11:16:50 am »
Any time you get into a colony and mess things up, the bees will get right to work setting things straight.  If there are any damaged cells with larvae, they will dig out the larvae and drag them to the entrance and fly off with them.  Taking them out aways from the hive probably helps to lessen disease, and keeps scavengers from honing in on a pile of stuff right by the hive entrance.

One day, while I was getting into my hives, I noticed that there had been several asian lady beetles under the lip of the hive lid, and they had fallen into the hive.  After, I was watching the entrance and I saw a bee come out with one of those lady bugs.  She carried it out a short ways and I saw her either drop it or let it go (I may or may not have heard a tiny voice saying "AND STAY OUT!")
Give a man a fish and he will have dinner.  Teach a man to fish and he will be late for dinner.

Offline Robo

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Re: Why Do Bees fly away with larvae?
« Reply #3 on: April 30, 2012, 01:06:32 pm »
helps to lessen disease, and keeps scavengers from honing in on a pile of stuff right by the hive entrance.

exactly why they cart debris away from the hive.
"Opportunity is missed by most people because it comes dressed in overalls and looks like work." - Thomas Edison



Offline RandyMM

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Re: Why Do Bees fly away with larvae?
« Reply #4 on: April 30, 2012, 03:19:17 pm »
Sounds like the bees in that hive are good housekeepers! That definitely plays an important role in the overall health of the colony.

Offline yockey5

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Re: Why Do Bees fly away with larvae?
« Reply #5 on: April 30, 2012, 03:21:23 pm »
May be chilled brood being carried out.

Offline blanc

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Re: Why Do Bees fly away with larvae?
« Reply #6 on: April 30, 2012, 11:09:42 pm »
Thanks for the replies and make sense to get all debris away from the hive.
Psalm 19:9-10
The fear of the Lord is clean,enduring forever; the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold, yea ,than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

Offline EaglePestEliminators

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Re: Why Do Bees fly away with larvae?
« Reply #7 on: April 12, 2017, 01:35:33 pm »
Just researched for a while and may be they don't carry weight otherwise they have alligator-like larvae. What do you think?

Offline BertieKerter1

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Re: Why Do Bees fly away with larvae?
« Reply #8 on: May 22, 2017, 01:14:03 am »
I have no idea of it.

Offline beecanbee

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Re: Why Do Bees fly away with larvae?
« Reply #9 on: May 22, 2017, 06:47:36 am »
Predators and ants, IMO...  no need to attract attention of predators with odors adjacent to the hive opening, nor help build up an ant trail into the hive.
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Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Why Do Bees fly away with larvae?
« Reply #10 on: June 06, 2017, 12:39:06 pm »
I have stood behind my hives and watched a bee carry a just hatched drone out of the hive about 25', make a 90 degree turn and fly another 50' and drop it in the far end of my pool. I went over and picked it up and the drone had a slightly deformed wing. This is very noticeable because the drones are fighting all the way to the front edge of the hive and the bees wings make a lot of noise due to the excessive weight on them. Drones weigh a lot more than the bees do.
Before I saw this I always thought the bees in the pool had fallen in by accident. With 12 hives, we get a lot of bees in the pool.
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
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