Bees behaving oddly in the dark - Moonlight???

[margob99]

I've just nipped down a half hour ago to see the hive. Don't know what I was expecting to see, as the bees are normally gone in for the night at that time. Blow me down if I didn't see 7 or 8 bees crawling around in the near-full darkness, on their landing platform, looking confused and disoriented.

Could it be the very big full moon tonight that's confusing them!?!? And the fact that it's getting dark so late now, and that it's still so warm right now???

 

[grizzly]

They like hanging around on the porch, could just be that.

When it warms up and evening temps remain in the teens they quite often hang out the hive in large clumps, i expect there will be posts on here soon about it, particularly when you have not seen it before it can look a little unusual.

 

[Annrbel]

Ours were doing it to tonight, hadn't thought about the moon, sitting low and greatly magnified. We are getting very close to Beltane too. But as ours regularly sat around on the porch last year, just shootin the breeze, we just expect them to do it.

 

[VEG]

Lol they are just lying on the porch having a beer after a hard days work

 

[oliver90owner]

they quite often hang out the hive in large clumps,

Just beware that it could be the early indications of preparations for swarming. Bees with nothing better to do - not foraging (daytime, of course), not drawing comb, no longer house bees, not a lot of spare 'roosting' space in the hive - just waiting around for the signal, perhaps in 4 or 5 days time,.......

Regards, RAB

 

[BKF Admin]

Good tip there RAB

 

[Mosquito]

Here is a picture of my bees hanging out last year at 1am.

 

[Ewok]

Ours were out on the porch starting about 4 days back & tried to swarm yesterday!

 

[Poly Hive]

One of the real indicators of a good honey flow, or more properly a nectar flow are groups of bees at the front door and a nice loud roar of fanning going on.

Mine were murmuring last week with the blackthorn, so a gentle flow.

PH