holding hands

[stumorph]

On making my first inspection after making a A/S . The original hive is fine but the in the new hive when I lift out the frames to inspect I get a string of bees connect to the other frame like they are holding hands . Any ideas please

 

[Travelator]

They're trying to build some wax.
It's well known that bees hang in chains when they're wax working, but I'm not sure if anyone has worked out exactly why it helps them get the job done. May be something to do with passing wax scales along the chain?

 

[stumorph]

They're trying to build some wax.
It's well known that bees hang in chains when they're wax working, but I'm not sure if anyone has worked out exactly why it helps them get the job done. May be something to do with passing wax scales along the chain?

This makes sense they have some new foundation there

 

[tonel]

Found the bees doing this on my first inspection last weekend, a swarm that had been hived on foundation earlier that week. Hoping to find some eggs/larvae sometime soon!

 

[Suzi Q]

Festooning, I think is the beekeeping term, or, they are hanging out together, making wax, to build new comb. I try to leave it undisturbed, so they can get on with what they are doing, although it is not always possible.

 

[Tom Bick]

They're trying to build some wax.
It's well known that bees hang in chains when they're wax working, but I'm not sure if anyone has worked out exactly why it helps them get the job done. May be something to do with passing wax scales along the chain?

It helps to raise heat something they need when producing wax. I understand its the same as brood rearing 35*c .

 

[madasafish]

No they are counting. One bee has no toes so they need lots of legs to count to large numbers like the number of cells in a comb.

 

[drstitson]

"but I'm not sure if anyone has worked out exactly why it helps them get the job done. May be something to do with passing wax scales along the chain?"

the festooning is necessary to produce the catenary (chain) curve found in wild colonies (and TBHs).