Help (again) Bees bearding entrance to hive

[JohnnyD]

Hi

I have a bit of an issue tonight, i have a lot of bees blocking the entrance to the hive tonight, i have 3 supers on the hive, and the top super looks full, can this BEE ? or is it another issue, what should i do?

Best Regards

John Devine

 

[Elaine]

see - http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=12556

which I posted earlier - must be the night for it party time

 

[JohnnyD]

Mine started out with just 2 clusters about a handful each, but just been out and they seem to be across the whole entrance to the hive on the outside, there's not a lot i can do now as it is dark, but i wouldn't know what to do anyway

 

[Winker]

Mine started out with just 2 clusters about a handful each, but just been out and they seem to be across the whole entrance to the hive on the outside, there's not a lot i can do now as it is dark, but i wouldn't know what to do anyway

Take up a tin of your favourite beer and a good bee book, sit down near the hive, read the book to them and enjoy your beer

Once the bees have been read their bed time story they will go quietly into the hive for a good nights rest before it all starts over again tomorrow

 

[JohnnyD]

Hmm the entrance to hive is very busy and crowded today still, and the bees seem a little more aggresive, I got stung on the ankle while inspecting the hive, the top (third) super is not full of comb yet, is something going on?

JD

 

[Moggs]

Hi JohnnyD. Yes.

But who knows what? You should really provide a lot more detail before anybody can attempt an answer. Start by detailing the findings from your last full inspection. What is the state of the colony? Have you seen the queen or eggs recently? How many bees? And maybe much more besides. perhaps even some photographs?

 

[Nightynight]

I had a colony last year that bearded every evening through June - september... gave me a shock whilst happening to walk up the garden at night and there 's a huge clump of bees on the landing board and all round the entrance. I haven't seem them do it since and haven't seen the same behaviour in another colony yet.


I watched them on a couple of evenings and they seem to be changing places with bees emerging and others crawling back in. My final assumption was they were either over crowded or just to hot and decided to cool off

 

[For want of a better word]

Posted this before.... NZs do it Carnie neighbors don't !

 

[Elaine]

Mine are Buckfast - but no sign of a party tonight

 

[xray7]

I don't think there is anything to worry about. In my case I have built up several very strong colonies which have each produced 120 lbs plus of honey but now almost everything in our area has finished and the bees don't have anything to do. This makes them grumpy, prone to robbing and very defensive especially if you try to remove a super of their honey. They are also likely to beard the entrance in warm humid weather and when varroa treatment is being carried out especially apiguard treatment.