# Solid Black Bees



## Bens-Bees (Sep 18, 2008)

Got some German genetics in your hives?


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## CAHighwind (Jun 9, 2010)

Maybe related, maybe not, but I notice shiny black bees at my hummingbird feeder. My theory is that they all cram in so close to get in there, that they end up getting all their orange hairs rubbed off, becoming dark and shiny... perhaps?


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## LMN (Aug 17, 2005)

That is one answer I had never thought of, the bee are one the jars by the hundreds. An falling off in bunches, that could be a possible answer.


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## Alex Cantacuzene (May 29, 2003)

Last year we had really black bees feeding on the hummingbird feeder together with some of our bees. At first our bees were chasing them but then they feed together. I always wanted to follow them but that became difficult. This year, no hummingbirds and no black bees. Believe me, they were all black and the same size as our bees. Take care and have fun


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## valleyman (Nov 24, 2009)

From what I've been told, there used to be lots of solid black German bees kept by beeks all across the U.S. From experience, I've had a hive of ferals, and there were several smaller black bees in them. After I requeened they went away. The German bees were meaner and produced less than others. They must be very hardy bees as they are surviving in the wild obviously.


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## Bens-Bees (Sep 18, 2008)

valleyman said:


> The German bees were meaner and produced less than others. They must be very hardy bees as they are surviving in the wild obviously.


There's a bad joke in there somewhere... I'm not going to be the one to crack it though.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Robber bees are shiny and black looking.


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## Roland (Dec 14, 2008)

Not all of the little black bees are mean. We had a swarm land about 10 years ago. They where gentle, and the most hygienic bees I have ever seen. My son used to sit in front of the hive, dropping dead bees on the bottom board, and time how long it took for a bee to run out and fly the dead bee away. Typical was 2-3 seconds.

Roland


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## heaflaw (Feb 26, 2007)

sqkcrk said:


> Robber bees are shiny and black looking.


Why?


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

I believe from getting their hair rubbed off of them when they are competeing w/ other bees for the honey. I'm not sure. Does anyone else know?

When I have open barrel fed in the past I would notice hat those bees were shiny and just figured that they must have gotten some syrup on themselves in the process of gathering the corn syrup.


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## Lauren (Jun 10, 2010)

They aren't acting sick, are they? I have some all black bees in my Russian hive but they are fuzzy, not shiny. 

I came across this the other day when I was reading up on diseases. 

http://www.ent.uga.edu/Bees/disorders/viral-diseases.html#chronicbee


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## valleyman (Nov 24, 2009)

sqkcrk said:


> Robber bees are shiny and black looking.


 Do you think that it would do any good to tell my Italians, that look like Italians, that they are not supposed to be doing this because they are not black bees?
I'm sure that from your vast experience there is truth to what you posted, but from my limited experience I've not seen many if any of my robber bees that were black. Just Italians, and yes there is limited differience in the way most worker genetics looks. the Cordovans, some will have an orange look, the Russians, some will be blacker, and I understand from pictures most Carniolians have more black than most.


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## natureboy68 (Feb 28, 2009)

heaflaw said:


> Why?


all of their follicles have been ripped off...


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## nathan (Jun 10, 2010)

I think it's probably guerilla bees. They often paint themselves with camoflage to more easily approach the apiary compound.


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