bees bearding at hive entrance

[thebhoy]

as the title says.....one of my hives (poly) has had the bees bearding at the entrance for the last few nights..and still there in morning.
14 x 12 and not too full.
Decided to add a super and pull two frames of stores out replacing with empty drawn frames this morning, have 9 of 11 with BIAS.

Just checked them tonight and yet again, a nice beard adorning the entrance.

Anybody any thoughts on this?

My other hives are fine and all are next to each other.

 

[jd101k2000]

Just a thought... have you taken the varroa inspection board out from under the mesh floor? If it is still in there might not be enough ventilation.

 

[thebhoy]

doh.................

That could be it lol.......thought someone here would be able to help
Hadn't done that yet

Thanks

 

[Finman]

asAnybody any thoughts on this?

.

Hive is so full of bees that it is time to add a new box. (keep hurry)

 

[itma]

Has your super got drawn comb? Or foundation?

With 9 frames of brood plus 2 of foundation in the brood, I wouldn't be too surprised if they were thinking of swarming. And hanging out at the entrance can be an indication of swarm preparations.
With brood on 9 14x12 frames, I think you are a bit late in adding that super - rather late if it is foundation.
My suggestion would be a thorough check for Queen Cells.

 

[Roola]

I found mine did that most nights last summer when it was warm weather... just getting some air.

 

[Hivemaker.]

I found mine did that most nights last summer when it was warm weather... just getting some air.

Same, quite normal, often big clusters right up the front of the hives.

 

[drstitson]

"have you taken the varroa inspection board out from under the mesh floor? If it is still in there might not be enough ventilation."

"That could be it lol......Hadn't done that yet"


The inspection board is just that - a board that is inserted under the (OMF) OPEN mesh floor when monitoring drop or treating with thymol based agents. The rest of the time (i.e. 90%) it should be OUT. Especially given the mild winter we've had.

as per others - time for a super.

 

[REDWOOD]

Entrance block?

 

[thebhoy]

many thanks for the advice folks, VERY much appreciated.

Super has mix....2 frames of capped honey and the rest drawn and part drawn comb.

The two frames added to the BB were also drawn...just needed a little clean by the bees...
Checked for QC's yesterday morning....none found.

Queen was one I reared last year from another queen that had to go onto double brood 14 x 12.
May have to do the same again with this one.

 

[oliver90owner]

had to go onto double brood 14 x 12.

How many eggs do you reckon she lays per day? I would think there is no scenario where she needs two 14 x12 boxes, unless there is a lot of wasted brood space - as in frames of stores - so would be pleased to learn of yours.

I allow mine to lay in a shallow above the 14 X 12 brood at peak lay-rate, and mainly because I don't clear out all the frames of stores, as I perhaps should. Personally, I can't justify double brooding with 14 x 12s ever, as she is never going to utilis5e that much laying space (150 000 cells).

RAB

 

[user 6228]

The detail of the temperature and air flow management during honey ripening does not appear (from my searches anyway) to have been scientifically studied. We can guess from swarm cluster studies that the volume of bees expands to allow air channels to open and the temperature in the top of the nest to rise. So the appearance of bees outside may have factors in the amount of nectar collected that day, the ambient air temperature, humidity, and the number of bees in the hive relative to its volume, which probably why you will get advice to increase the hive volume.

 

[thebhoy]

thanks again folks...

Rab.... the benefit of the forum for many of us is the 'available' knowledge shared by the more experienced beeks to us relative newbies....a wealth of knowledge and experience available to us with a few keyboard strokes always welcome and appreciated.

Re the 14 x 12 advice /information, again appreciated, and insightful. My views at the time was to offer space to a booming colony, give her more room to lay and have new frames drawn out.....with the new perspective I will hopefully get even more honey this year by keeping them on single without QX and just adding supers. Last year I had let them keep what was in the BB's and didn't feed...not the most productive method of honey production......should have taken the honey and fed syrup.

Best regards to everyone