Small Bees

I have been happily watching my bees come and go today in the calm, mild spell we are having. I notice that one colony has bees that are noticably smaller than all the others.
I use a lot of foundationless frames so the bees can build natural comb of whatever type and size they want. They are local mongrels but quite dark.

Any thoughts?

Did you measure the bees?

I ask because some bees have more hairs then others and that makes them appear bigger/smaller.

No I did not measure them but they are definately small, but perfect in every other way! I just wondered if anyone had a theory as to why they are small or if they feel small bees might perform differently in any way.

OK I'm going to run with this. The bee on the left is one of the small ones compared with one from each other colony. I think the abdomen is smaller. It is subtle but more noticeable when alive.

I think I have too much time ATM!

I have a hive that I always refer to as the small one, not for the size of the hive but the bees seem smaller. I have never measured them. I am not sure if it is an optical illusion or not. Mine are very yellow compared with my other hives! Opposite to you.
E

gmonag said:

OK I'm going to run with this. The bee on the left is one of the small ones compared with one from each other colony. I think the abdomen is smaller. It is subtle but more noticeable when alive.

I think I have too much time ATM!

Click to expand...

Nope...it's well proven that size of the bee is determined by the the size of cell it emerges from. As comb gets older the cell gets smaller and so do the bees...not by much but enough to be measurable.. Perhaps you need to measure comb size and see if smaller. in that hive
Quite interesting observation.

Nect question: why ohers have big bees?

Personally I ike bigger bees.

Finman said:

Nect question: why ohers have big bees?

Personally I ike bigger bees.

Click to expand...

Me Too our native Cornish bees are big and black and therefore produce much more honey than little yellow ones!

Yawn....

Beefriendly said:

Yawn....

Click to expand...

You should take an afternoon nap.

For want of a better word said:

You should take an afternoon nap.

Click to expand...

Nope, too busy extracting our spring honey, need to keep up...no time for napping.. Remarkable strains of Buckfast bees Br. Adam produced.

For want of a better word said:

Me Too our native Cornish bees are big and black and therefore produce much more honey than little yellow ones!

Click to expand...

But if you take big yellow bees. What happens!

That is true, that fat big bees bring more honey, because their belly is full, when they come back to home.

beefriendly said:

nope, too busy extracting our spring honey, need to keep up...no time for napping.. Remarkable strains of buckfast bees br. Adam produced.

Click to expand...

LOL...love it...

For want of a better word said:

View attachment 17832

Click to expand...

The nose does not work..

.

Finman said:

The nose does not work..

.

Click to expand...

Got it Pinocchio needs some PPE......

Yeghes da

Is Dee still wandering the desert, the forty years must be nearly up!!

http://english.resistantbees.es/?p=818

rook66 said:

Is Dee still wandering the desert, the forty years must be nearly up!!

http://english.resistantbees.es/?p=818

Click to expand...

I think she’s been rather ill....still well enough to continue to deny they have AHB though.!!!