Hello All,

> "...It is known that bees only defecate outside the hive.

I don't believe the above is totally true but enough true put in print. Got
to be accidents once in a while as I see signs in hives which are not very
hygienic.

>But does the  queen go outside to relieve herself?

I would say no.   I have seen the queen defecate once but she did so while
moving.

> Or are there bees that gather her
> droppings and take them out?"..
.
House cleaning bees in my opinion remove everything the bee considers
foreign to the hives well being. Even dysentary with nosema spores. They
propolis items to large to remove such as many times a dead mouse. The above
is only my opinion and based on observations.

Bob