Humid vs dry days

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oxnatbees

House Bee
Joined
Apr 15, 2012
Messages
286
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163
Location
Oxfordshire UK
Hive Type
warre
Number of Hives
6
I was wondering if bees' behaviour outside the hive changes depending on humidity?

I understand lime trees produce nectar in humid weather, so maybe they forage more, and they may need to fan harder to evaporate nectar into honey. But are there other noticeable effects? More pollen collection? Calmer on humid days? Different flying pattern? More likely to swarm?
 
I suspect the internal climate of the hive is more consistently maintained at a higher humidity than the external one so external humidity for evaporating nectar probably isn't an issue. Additionally nectar collection often happens on nicer days whereas if there's a wet (and thus more humid) day they're stuck inside processing it... (and as they are all inside they can probably manage a higher temperature plus air flow more easily so theoretically less work per individual bee unless this goes too far and they then need to work harder to cool it down). So technically different behaviour but not much different to us.

I think the general consensus is also that they're often a bit more grumbly on humid days, although this may be more linked to air pressure and likelihood of thunderstorms.
 
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Nights are saturated mostly with water vapour. Mist stays often almost to half day. There are mornings, clowdy or sunny or rainy, half rainy. Day afternoons. Even snow, mild, warm and hot.

It it very complex if you need to invent to every weather type its own bee mind type. At least you have explanation to everything.
 
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