bees hanging around the entrance...

[deb]

It's 7pm and since about 5 o'clock the bees have been sitting in clumps at the entrance to the hive. They are very calm and don't seem excitable or swarm.

I have heard of this behaviour on hot days, but never seen it. Are they just keeping cool? How late in the day might I expect them to swarm at this time of year? It is very hot, but they are a colony I artificially swarmed and left them with two queen cells, so it could be a cast.

All swarms I've had in the past have been in the afternoon.

Any thoughts?

deb

 

[drstitson]

bearding. normal in these temps.
abroad they'll do it all night when midnight temps are 28-30C.

 

[stephenpug]

Mine did it last year I was in a panic about swarming but they were just cooling off they were out all night even though it was persisting down with rain lol
I am a little wiser now and just leave them to it

 

[deb]

Thank you. I'll go to choir practice with peace of mind.

 

[Finman]

.
Propably hives if full nectar. Look inside and give foundatipon sto be drawn.

It is best time to draw foundations and not to cry on spring.

 

[user 6228]

heres a hypothesis they are not"too hot" but making way for the air passages to ripen the the honey. i.e they are expanding the collection of bees to allow the air channels to form as in the behaviour seen in swarms.