I am experimenting with two queen hives and used a double screen to
separate the hive bodies while I raised the other queen. When I checked
the hives, loads of bees were on both sides of the double screen on one
hive. Yesterday I removed the screens and found that the screen that I
thought was loaded on both sides actually had bees inside the double
screen. There was a tiny tear in the screen. For about a month, the bees
entered the double screen from the upper hive. When I ripped the screen
open to free them there were only three dead bees among many hundreds of
very alive bees. Obviously they were being fed by the other bees for at
least a month.
I would love to assume it was the unselfishness of the bees that kept
their sisters alive, but guess there are other things at work here. They
were right at the entrance of the hive and could have been part  of the
nectar transfer process. But that is just a guess. I have no idea of
what was at work here.
And would appreciate your thoughts.
In any case, it makes for a great sermon on the golden rule.
Bill Truesdell
Bath, ME