White Strip

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Peebels

New Bee
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Messages
68
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0
Location
North Chesire/South Manchester
Hive Type
14x12
Number of Hives
3
I had a look through my three hives yesterday, apart from one appearing to be queenless (it swarmed about 3-4 weeks ago), I happened to notice something a little odd. A lot of bees appeared to have a very white line down there back. Upon closer inspection this appeared to be slightly fluffy but very much confined to the centre of the torso and occasionally abdomen. I have seen bees covered in pollen and old bees that have lost colour and it looked nothing like that at all. In some respects it did look a little mouldy, but not clumped or anything, just, well white!

The bees them selves appear to be behaving normally from what I could see?

Any ideas or suggestions?
 
They're working the Himalyan Balsom, nothing to worry about. There is a HB thread on here somewhere.

Ian
 
Have you got any himalayan balsam in range? that is the usual cause of the "grey stripe":)
 
I had a look through my three hives yesterday, apart from one appearing to be queenless (it swarmed about 3-4 weeks ago), I happened to notice something a little odd. A lot of bees appeared to have a very white line down there back. Upon closer inspection this appeared to be slightly fluffy but very much confined to the centre of the torso and occasionally abdomen. I have seen bees covered in pollen and old bees that have lost colour and it looked nothing like that at all. In some respects it did look a little mouldy, but not clumped or anything, just, well white!

The bees them selves appear to be behaving normally from what I could see?

Any ideas or suggestions?
Your bees have been working hymalayan Balsam
This plant has a hair trigger which when touched by a bee causes the stamen to dip down and anoint the bee with a dusting of pollen .
I'm surprised you haven't heard of this before as it's been discussed many times on this and other forums :smash:

John Wilkinson
 
I checked my bees this evening and had exactly the same thing. A lot of the bees had a white stripe. I am new as well, and I thought that some new white bees had moved in :) They do look pretty with their white backs.
 
found a picture for you

938967.jpg
 

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