Bees outside

[badger65]

Its been raining all day and my bees are all crowded around the entrance. There are some drowned on the roof and a number on the floor damp. Why would they want to do this. Plenty of room in the hive, no queen cells.

 

[Midland Beek]

Poor ventilation.

 

[Winker]

Its been raining all day and my bees are all crowded around the entrance. There are some drowned on the roof and a number on the floor damp. Why would they want to do this. Plenty of room in the hive, no queen cells.

Like mine, they have never seen rain in their life, so they all stand around at the entrance looking at it in amazment

 

[oliver90owner]

on the floor damp

Is this in the hive or on the ground?

OMF or solid floor? You don't mean 'all' do you? How many boxes? A new phenomenon or have you seen it previously?

No feed, hive not level (and rain entering) are other possibilities, but just guessing.

RAB

 

[badger65]

I have a mesh floor, I have given them a little feed, hive is level. I've not seen it before. I did however replace the brood box yesterday and went warm way because of the mesh floor. Its hacking it down and they are still flying.

 

[Poly Hive]

Ignoring the ventilation comment.... in my experience is it is a genetic trait whch exhibits it's self in this very behaviour, a beard of bees hanging out in all weathers.

Hope this reasures.

PH

 

[Beezer]

Found mine doing the same today after having inspected all yesterday and removing a lot of drone brood too.

Was worried they were suffocating and removed the Perspex inner hive covers and put a super on as they did have 7/8 frames of brood and stores.

I have put Ambrosia fondant on top bars due to poor weather and concern on starving, they're eating a little but not much.

They appear happier, less cluster outside and at the hive entrance, but still hanging under the frames where we cut off the drone brood.

Will check them tomorrow.

 

[Poly Hive]

Why do you have perspex as a cover?

Insulation value of not a lot so for whom are you doing it?


PH

 

[richardbees]

badger

"...my bees are all crowded around the entrance..."

Probably you really mean 'a lot' = which is just because those want to go foraging and are waiting for the rain to stop, mine are the same.

richard

 

[susbees]

Why do you have perspex as a cover?

Insulation value of not a lot so for whom are you doing it?


PH

Wonder if he means polycarb quilt PH?

 

[Midland Beek]

When people open their hives up on a nice afternoon they are seeing a colony minus its foragers, which are, of course, out foraging.

When it is dark or the foragers are at home because of rain poor ventilation makes them hang out outside the hive. It happens in colonies with a higher ratio of foragers to hive bees.

 

[oliver90owner]

I have a mesh floor, I have given them a little feed, hive is level. I've not seen it before. I did however replace the brood box yesterday and went warm way because of the mesh floor.

With all due respect to Midland beek (must have missed this) the ventilation is not the issue with a mesh floor.

Neither the level of the hive (water running in the entrance should run out the floor?). The mesh floor will generally mean cold or warm way is irrelevant.

RAB

 

[Dishmop]

Perhaps they've all forgotten what rain is......... too young..... no rain....

 

[BBG]

Why do you have perspex as a cover?

Insulation value of not a lot so for whom are you doing it?

PH

Somewhere to place the fondant and stop them invading the super I didn't think they were ready to have when I started feeding.

Logical I thought.

 

[Tom Bick]

Not exactly the same but I was observing a hive not one of my hives last week but in the same apiary as my hives, they were doing just this a beard of bees around the entrance.

My conclusion was due to the beekeeper hardly ever inspecting that they were about to swarm and the foraging bees staying home just needing a good day to go.

I was at the apiary this weekend and that hive no longer had a beard of bees?

 

[tazbee]

Morning all

One of my hives has had the girls hanging out of the front for the last ten days, they are on brood +1/2, open mesh floor + 2 supers over Qx. The queen is NZ gold. The other hives are acting normal

The last time I saw this happen was a few years back during a very hot spell, I don't think the last 10 days fall into being very hot

 

[oliver90owner]

tazbee,

The question I would ask is: Is brood and a half big enough for her?

Regards, RAB

 

[Beezer]

Why do you have perspex as a cover?

Insulation value of not a lot so for whom are you doing it?


PH

Was doing it to stand fondant on and prevent bees getting in to super.

Have now supered and placed fondant on frames

 

[richardbees]

as dishmop says:

"Perhaps they've all forgotten what rain is......... too young..... no rain...."

certainly applies to the impression i'm getting watching my bees - they're well set-up for space - a bit like holidaymakers at Skegness waiting outside their B/B to go on the beach.

 

[tazbee]

Hi RAB

Great minds and all that.

I moved the Qx up to the next super (Super almost fully drawn) on Friday of last week, she now has 1bb + 2 supers. they should settle down in a few days. I hope

will post what happens