The Behavior of Nosema-Infected Bees Affecting Their Position in the Winter Cluster1

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Abstract
Colonies of honey bees killed with hydrocyanic acid gas when the bees were tightly clustered at low temperatures permitted a study of the location of Nosema-diseased bees. Bees were examined for spores at measured intervals throughout the cluster. A variation of methods, using marked inoculated bees, was also employed. Nosema-diseased bees tend to congregate in the warmer parts of the winter cluster - the brood area and immediately above it. This behavior permits taking samples from the top bars at the center of the cluster with an excellent chance of obtaining infected bees if any are present.

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