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Broken bees?

2K views 8 replies 7 participants last post by  naturebee 
#1 ·
Sitting near the hives today I spotted a worker walking around on the ground. Her abdomen was missing completely. Just a head and thorax. She was getting around just fine, but couldn't fly.

A little later I saw a drone on his back. He was trying to right himself without much luck. I picked him up and laid him on the palm of my hand. He was broken at the joint between thorax and abdomen, and attached by a thread on the ventral side. It was creepy.

Earlier I had gone through one of the hives. Perhaps these two just got caught between moving frames. Please tell me there is no such thing as "Broken Bee Disease" or "Glass Bee Syndrome".

Thanks.
 
#8 ·
Sounds like a physical injury, this could be caused by many predators in our area, Praying Mantis , Hornets, Wasps or birds. Last year I was in the yard and noticed a praying mantis about six inches long and as big around as your thumb perched on the side of the landing board just chowing down. There was a little pile of bee parts on the ground below her. I went home got a jar and caught her with a small fight and put her in the garden.
 
#9 ·
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Earlier I had gone through one of the hives. Perhaps these two just got caught between moving frames.
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I would say smashing injury by beekeeper is the cause. I will tend to see this type of injury when I work a hive in a hurry and neglect to brush bees away.
 
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