>Hemolymph turns black when exposed to O2, so that's what
the ashy stuff is.
That's the explanation I was looking for. Thanks so much, it makes perfect sense that hemolymph was leaking out of the chewed pupa. In this case, I think it's overexpression of hygienic behavior because the colony's bee population is currently way ahead of the varroa curve and all that uncapping and removal isn't normal especially when you consider this was a hived swarm just a few weeks in the box.
Bill Hesbach
Cheshire CT
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