# Is this hygenic behavior?



## jfb58 (Sep 10, 2013)

Hi all,

Total newby, not sure what I'm seeing in my observational hive. The hive contains cut out comb from a friend's roof, which now has full brood on four medium frames (2 X 2) with a laying queen, and honey is slowly being built into 4 small frames above.

Daily, dead pupae and adult bees are cleaned out, but it seems that the carcasses are paraded dozens of times throughout the hive before finally being dragged out the port. Other bees will rip at the dead pieces as it is pulled up and down the brood chamber. Does this mean the housekeeping bees don't know where the exit is, or maybe because the room light is on? I've looked for mites on the bodies and under the screen without luck. 

What is the best way to check for mites in an observational hive? I'm not looking forward to breaking it down yet...

Thanks!


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## beemilk (Sep 12, 2012)

I have seen the same behavior in my OH here is upstate NY. It seems like they take the bodies on a grand tour of the hive before discarding them. More so, I set the hive up from a cutout using rubber bands to suspend the comb. After a few weeks they managed to cut the bands and were now faced with the task of getting rid of a ten inch long remnant of rubber. It was funny as h... watching them work (for days) moving the band through the hive like a snake. I eventually found all the bands on the ground in front of the entrance.

On your other note..."not looking forward to breaking it down." I am not planning on breaking mine down. My OH is in my wood-shop which is usually unheated unless I working.... then I turn the propane wall unit on. My plan is to build an enclosure around the hive using 1" insulation board with a few vent holes. Inside, I will also keep a light bulb burning to keep things warm. It's going to be an experiment 
.


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