Ted wrote concerning bees eating brood: > Well, this is all very interesting. I have personally never seen > this in 35 years among the bees, although I have often seen brood, > especially drone brood, pulled out of the hive. I was taught that > one of the major dietary differences between bees and other > hymenoptera is that bees get their protein solely from pollen > whereas wasps, etc., get it from a variety of sources, but > especially animal (i.e., insect) body parts. I have also seen bees > in early spring try to collect anything that resembles pollen, even > if it is not. Thus they are pests around cattle feed lots where > ground wheat and oats is fed. They seem to go to great lengths to > try getting pollen. If they could merely cannibalize their own > brood, why would they be out looking for anything that is > pollen-like? > > I would be interested in any research that Furgala has actually > published on this subject. Does anyone have any information? > > Ted Fischer > Dexter, Michigan USA I have seen bees eat brood, when, after removing a feral hive I placed a sheet of removed brood, that got chilled in with the removed bees in their new hive. I gather they ate the chilled brood, and used it to start new egg laying, as I now see capped brood in the hive. They were definitely eating the brood, as I watched them do this, No bits of bees were dragged out the front as I have usually observed. Keep well Garth --- Garth Cambray "Opinions expressed in this post may be those 15 Park Road of Pritz, my cat, who knows a lot about Grahamstown catfood." 6140 *[log in to unmask]* South Africa Phone 27-0461-311663 In general, generalisations are bad. But don't worry BEEEEEE happy.