Sorry to be a pest lately but I've got many problems all showing
up at once.
 
Among the older capped brood, there are some cells (about 20)
which are uncapped and contain what look like pupae. I say it's
a pupa because it's not a fully-formed bee and it's not a larva.
To be precise, the "pupa" takes up the entire cell and I can see
his little face (larva don't have faces) looking out.
 
Questions: Who's uncapping the poor things and why?
 
More facts:
 
- the "pupae" are white;
- they are not soft like larvae;
- they don't move but I don't know if they're dead (I'll pull
  one out and check today);
- the cell opening is smooth and circular;
- there is no evidence of dead and rotting pupae;
- there aren't many workers (3 frames worth);
- over the course of a few days, there are about the same number of
  little faces (that is, is doesn't seem as if they are dying or as
  if more pupae are being uncovered; I'm going to start noting the
  positions rather than just the number); and
- no workers are bothering the cells.
 
Conrad Sigona
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