At the entrance

[Eyeman]

Honeybee nucleus colony. Activity at the entrance is often a clue to what is going on inside. This time under the floor. Honeybees are seen passing under the entrance & bees on the side showing a languid demeanour. Queen was in residence so likely a small swarm settled under the nuc.

 

[Garry R]

Lift it p and have a look - simples!

 

[enrico]

Honeybee nucleus colony. Activity at the entrance is often a clue to what is going on inside. This time under the floor. Honeybees are seen passing under the entrance & bees on the side showing a languid demeanour. Queen was in residence so likely a small swarm settled under the nuc.

That is a bit of an unfortunate gap right by the entrance. I think I might block that off. Mesh floor?

 

[Eyeman]

That is a bit of an unfortunate gap right by the entrance. I think I might block that off. Mesh floor?

See where you’re coming from. Part of original colony clustering under OMF from misdirection. Will hopefully find a virgin queen in the cluster when I shake them into a box. Will let you know

 

[Eyeman]

Turned out the cluster under the OMF were bees from the nuc. Now closed off that space under the entrance.

 

[enrico]

Turned out the cluster under the OMF were bees from the nuc. Now closed off that space under the entrance.

I didn't like to suggest that but it is such a common thing. Well done for noticing it

 

[Antipodes]

Honeybee nucleus colony. Activity at the entrance is often a clue to what is going on inside. This time under the floor. Honeybees are seen passing under the entrance & bees on the side showing a languid demeanour. Queen was in residence so likely a small swarm settled under the nuc.

Fantastic filming.

Do you know what the light pinkish coloured pollen is?

I don't recall ever seeing that down here.

 

[Swarm]

Fantastic filming.

Do you know what the light pinkish coloured pollen is?

I don't recall ever seeing that down here.

One of the Hogweed varieties most likely, Cow Parsley.

 

[Antipodes]

One of the Hogweed varieties most likely, Cow Parsley.

Thanks Swarm. So something like this?
https://nre.tas.gov.au/invasive-species/weeds/weeds-index/declared-weeds-index/meadow-parsley

 

[Erichalfbee]

Thanks Swarm. So something like this?
https://nre.tas.gov.au/invasive-species/weeds/weeds-index/declared-weeds-index/meadow-parsley

I've never seen my bees on Cow Parsley but they do use Hogweed ......Heracleum sphondylium..... which has that colour pollen

 

[holmbee]

I've never seen my bees on Cow Parsley but they do use Hogweed ......Heracleum sphondylium..... which has that colour pollen

I've never seen my bees on Cow Parsley but they do use Hogweed ......Heracleum sphondylium..... which has that colour pollen

My bees have been on the cow parsley for some days. The corbiculae in the attached picture show the colour of the pollen she is carrying.

 

[Erichalfbee]

And to complicate the issue hogweed is called cow parsnip.

 

[Swarm]

There are lots of different names but the bees forage on most if not all of them, Hemlock, Cow Parsley, Wild Parsnip, Hogweed. There has been a wonderful show this year.

 

[BernardBlack]

I checked my hives on Wed, and there was a cluster under the open mesh floor of one.

This hive is double Brood with a lot of flying bees, so didn’t really pass any remarks.

Was in the apiary again this evening...



Is this many congregating under the floor normal? Especially in the evening time (about 7.30pm)?

 

[BugsInABox]

I checked my hives on Wed, and there was a cluster under the open mesh floor of one.

This hive is double Brood with a lot of flying bees, so didn’t really pass any remarks.

Was in the apiary again this evening...

View attachment 40484

Is this many congregating under the floor normal? Especially in the evening time (about 7.30pm)?

I think the advice is generally to fill the gap under the entrance as they are underlying and then can’t find there way in.

 

[enrico]

I checked my hives on Wed, and there was a cluster under the open mesh floor of one.

This hive is double Brood with a lot of flying bees, so didn’t really pass any remarks.

Was in the apiary again this evening...

View attachment 40484

Is this many congregating under the floor normal? Especially in the evening time (about 7.30pm)?

You need to get this sorted by autumn. Cold weather can kill thousands of bees if they are underflying and they may even start to build comb there. Just block the gap from the hive to the floor at the front of the hive

 

[enrico]

And to complicate the issue hogweed is called cow parsnip.

We call it Queen Anne's lace

 

[BernardBlack]

You need to get this sorted by autumn. Cold weather can kill thousands of bees if they are underflying and they may even start to build comb there. Just block the gap from the hive to the floor at the front of the hive

I think the advice is generally to fill the gap under the entrance as they are underlying and then can’t find there way in.

Thanks. I’ll do that.

 

[Erichalfbee]

We call it Queen Anne's lace

Something is turning a lot of the leaves to lace

 

[BernardBlack]

I think the advice is generally to fill the gap under the entrance as they are underlying and then can’t find there way in.

You need to get this sorted by autumn. Cold weather can kill thousands of bees if they are underflying and they may even start to build comb there. Just block the gap from the hive to the floor at the front of the hive

So, I think I realised the problem.

This hive is sat on a stand I built, and I added a landing board maybe 1.5-2 inches width. I think a number of bees have crawled under the board and under, rather than up and in the entrance.

I brushed the bees out from under the OMF, and boarded up the front of the stand. A number of bees were still trying to get under the landing board. Hopefully they’ll work out they need to go up and into the hive entrance!