Dissection photographs.

I cut some comb out of both hives on the same day that David and I saw Artemis's queen being carried up the side of the Boardman-type feeder by one of the worker bees.

A large larva.

More larvae.

All of these specimens came from a piece of comb that was about the size of large walnut in the shell.







I now have a dish with bees in various stages of metamorphosis on the dining room table.

This piece of comb is from Demeter's top brood box.  Two of the frames of foundation were a bit too far apart and the bees had filled in the gap.  I have to lift out both frames together and then cut them apart.

These larvae look rather scary.  Why are they black?  Not actually black, more of a very dark brown.  Do you know why they are this color?  Let me know, would you please?

05/29/10 - I showed this piece of comb to my bee teacher Gary while he was working his stand at the Proctor Farmers Market.  He said that the larvae had died - due to cold - and that they are dark because they are decomposing.  I'm sorry about that but am happy that that's the reason and not some dreaded bee disease.

This nice clean piece of comb is also from Demeter's top brood box.








I opened the capped cell on the lower right edge and this is what I found...

... a perfect little bee.