Fig. 1. Observation hive with three comb pieces (A, B, C), allowing thermographic temperature measurements of bees inside observation cells. Comb cells in the background are indicated but could not be seen during the observations. The comb chamber was covered with infrared transparent film. The smaller chamber was half filled with sugar dough and contained the queen (Q) in a cage. Insulation covering the hive (4 cm polystyrene walls on all sides; not shown) was partially removed while the observations were being made. Hive temperature (T_hive) was measured with a thermistor (T) inside a plastic tube.

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