"Strange though it may sound, the custom of telling the bees about a death in the household has been going on for centuries. It’s been recorded throughout the United Kingdom, as well as parts of France, Germany, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. Beekeepers in parts of New England still keep their hives abreast of certain events, particularly a passing."
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/telling-the-bees-death