Peter said:
>There is no documentation that bees commit suicide. There is the
>suicide hypothesis which proposes that bees COULD be flying off to
>save the colony.
>However, suicide
>implies intention.

In my mind suicide or death away from the hive is the intention especially 
for the crawling bees.

I think every commercial beekeeper has witnessed bees leaving the hive to
die. In Florida with an apiary of sand the phenomenon is easy to witness. I
was asked about a decade ago to write an article on "suicide bees" by the
second largest beekeeper in the world but declined because of beekeepers
which have never *took the time* to observe the behavior would be skeptical.
Actually Peter I think you are the first beekeeper which has suggested
suicide bees are only a hypothesis.
In the 80's when tracheal mites hit most of us would observe crawling bees
heading away from the hive to die. Some would crawl around fifty feet before
dying. Some will fly and fall 10-20 feet from the hive and then die.
I did an experiment with white sheets in front of the hive for 30 feet. You
do not have to wait long for the old bee to fly out to die.  If you have
some free time Peter try the experiment.
One might say the flying and dying bee might be trying to make one last trip
to the field but what about the crawling bee?
I have NEVER seen a crawling bee try to return to the hive.
bob

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