What do you see on this tray observed around 20 November? How do you interpret it?
- A natural mite drop after a cold period.
- Active robbing with a lot of wax and torn-off wings.
- Eggs or young larvae removed after a return of cold.
- A normal cleaning activity with no link to the weather.
Show answer
Correct answer: 3.
Eggs or young larvae removed after a return of cold.
Why?
After a few fine, mild days in November, a queen can briefly resume laying. If the cold then returns, the colony may no longer manage to keep this young brood at a sufficient temperature.
The bees may then remove eggs or very young larvae, which are found on the tray. This observation suggests an adjustment by the colony in response to brood that has become too costly to heat.
The tray therefore gives an indication of what has happened in the hive, but it must be interpreted with caution: recent weather, strength of the colony, stores and position of the cluster must also be taken into account.
What to understand
In late autumn, the colony seeks to save its energy. A spell of milder weather can temporarily restart laying activity, but a rapid return of the cold can make this brood difficult to maintain.
The brood requires a markedly higher temperature than the mere survival of the cluster. Heating brood in November therefore consumes stores and mobilises heater bees.
This observation does not automatically mean that the colony is doomed. It indicates above all that one must monitor the strength of the colony, access to the stores and the overwintering conditions.
Key points
Eggs or young larvae on the tray in November can indicate a resumption of laying followed by a return of cold.
The colony may remove brood that it can no longer heat properly.
This reading of the tray is useful, but it must always be cross-referenced with the weather, observation at the entrance, the strength of the colony and the available stores.
Further reading
► The fascinating secrets of reading hive debris
► Practical Guide: 4.8.2 Hive floor debris check
► Overwintering in the honey bee: a very particular phase of its biological cycle