Clustering

[jdee]

Hi - question time again I have a hive on OMF which in turn sits on a stand about 18 inches of the ground. The hive is new this June and has been quite happy up until last night when I notice a big cluster of bees under the OMF, now rightly or wrongly I smoked them back up into the hive and thought nothing of it. Noticed today they had done the same thing some got them back into the hive and then blow me they have done the same thing this afternoon.

Something is obviously wrong so I have fitted the plastic floor for the OMF in the hope they will stop drifting under the hive (as I fitted this it knocked the two clusters to the floor).

I have been in hospital getting my lower spine fused for the last couple of weeks so I left a super on the hive before I went into hospital but as it hasnt been used took it off today. Had a quick look to see if I could see the queen but she wasnt seen and there doesnt look to be too many eggs available either. There is plenty of brood in the hive with lots of stores and pollen. I did have the entrance reduced but have opened that up thinking it may be a build up of heat (not that it gets that warm in Mayo!). The strange thing is in my other the hive the queen is still laying like there is no tomorrow and the bees are brining in both nectar and pollen.

Does anyone have any ideas as to whats going on?

many thanks

JD

 

[drstitson]

you could try fixing a 4" piece of shuttering across the front below the landing board to reduce direct access.

 

[keith pierce]

also reduce the enterance to about 25mm and this will give them a smaller target and also they will find it easier to guard against preditors

 

[Tom Bick]

The same as drstiton and yes keep the tray in for a few weeks.

As for the state inside the hive you spotted brood and some eggs thats better than non.

Another thread is running at the moment referring to colonies on the verge of starvation so did you notice plenty of stores in the hive.

One final point a super on the hive may have taken heat away from the brood nest and slowed brood rearing.

 

[jdee]

thanks for that folks - will fit the entrance reducer back in later this evening, and put a bit of 4" shutter up across the front. There is plenty of stores in the hive both honey and pollen and up until yesterday they had been working like mad.

All strange stuff LOL

many thanks

JD

 

[jdee]

Whatever it was that was causing the bees to cluster under the hive they have now stopped it. Put the tray under the OMF, put a bit of 6" shuttering across the front of the hive stand and put the entrance reducer back on and all seems to be well again.

Regards

JD