Bee Hind Leg Rub
Posted: April 6th, 2011, 6:45 pm
I remember seeing something on Bee-L some time ago about a guy talking about bees rubbing their hind legs like they were itchy. I think he said it was a CCD symptom, and it sticks in my mind that he said Vitamin C is his cure.
It got up to 60 today, and there was good flight activity. I noticed a couple bees with deformed wings walking around on the landing boards. One bee in particular with DWV would arch her abdomen up, and rub her back legs together vigorously. She would walk for an inch or two on the landing board, and then arch her abdomen and rub her back legs together for a minute. I watched her do this for 5 minutes or so. I did not see any other bees doing this behavior.
I don't treat for mites, so I wonder if this leg rubbing is associated with varroa, since the particular bee I saw doing it had badly deformed wings.
I will keep an eye on this hive to see if they do a CCD crash or not. I didn't have my smoker with me, so I didn't inspect the hive today. (The yard is at a relative's and since I was already there, I walked out to watch flight activity.)
It got up to 60 today, and there was good flight activity. I noticed a couple bees with deformed wings walking around on the landing boards. One bee in particular with DWV would arch her abdomen up, and rub her back legs together vigorously. She would walk for an inch or two on the landing board, and then arch her abdomen and rub her back legs together for a minute. I watched her do this for 5 minutes or so. I did not see any other bees doing this behavior.
I don't treat for mites, so I wonder if this leg rubbing is associated with varroa, since the particular bee I saw doing it had badly deformed wings.
I will keep an eye on this hive to see if they do a CCD crash or not. I didn't have my smoker with me, so I didn't inspect the hive today. (The yard is at a relative's and since I was already there, I walked out to watch flight activity.)