What is this dead thing I found in my hive?

[KDW]

Hi All. On first (brief, because of cloudy weather) inspection of my new hive, I found this large dead insect at the bottom of the hive.. does anyone know what it is? Excuse the terrible photos, camera battery died, so it is just taken with the phone camera.

 

[biglongdarren]

has it wings?

 

[MandF]

I occasionally see these outside my hive - with wings. I think its a bumblebee - one that tries to get into hives and pays the price!

 

[Luminos]

I think it's a pound coin

 

[drstitson]

what about Chronic Paralysis Virus [CPV]????

This can lead to hairless black bees that get nibbled by housemates.

 

[MandF]

what about Chronic Paralysis Virus [CPV]????

This can lead to hairless black bees that get nibbled by housemates.

The ones I find are much bigger than my bees. Mine are definitely bombus of some description.

 

[Robbie & Jans Bees]

It looks like the Blue Carpenter Bee Xylocopa violacea but quite hard to see from this picture?

Regards Robbie

 

[MandF]

It could be that..

http://www.superstock.com/stock-photos-images/1848R-350127

I didnt notice any sign of blue on the ones I have seen outside my hive though (had a couple last year too)

 

[keith pierce]

Its a bumble bee that entered the hive and was killed. they were not able to get it out so they stipped it of what they could ( hair and wings ) and then covered it in propolis to stop infection

 

[cmaryon]

Fascinating. Why do they strip the hair and wings off?

just curious

Cathi

 

[biglongdarren]

it looks like your bees have access to Jensen Violet.

 

[Andre cardona]

is it a cooked wasp

 

[victor meldrew]

is it a cooked wasp

Those legs indicate a bee
VM

 

[Hombre]

it looks like your bees have access to Jensen Violet.

Gentian violet. the poor man's propolis(?). I thought that you were meaning a racing fluid at first, so thought that I would button it up for you

They strip the wings and hair off because they can and they can remove them from the hive. So much easier to propolise a bald bumble bee.

 

[keith pierce]

if they can move it then they will propolis it



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[keith pierce]

Soory.. image too big in last picture



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[VEG]

lol get out of that

 

[Gardenbees]

Great picture!
They really are chillingly "hygienic" at times... I once found a huge, propolised slug in a hive, which must have been a specialised job given how slimy they are. But no, the bees had managed somehow, and when I peeled away the propolis there was just a dried slug skeleton left, like a deflated inner tube, in a perfectly slug-shaped propolis coffin.