I wasn’t expecting that!

[Hiveanidea]

Heat (ambient) generally won't be an issue this time of year but if the volume is too little for the number of bees then space is needed to dissipate the extra bees and heat. They were fine one assumes for some time before you posted so some dynamic within has changed, an explosion or influx of bees and simply not enough space for them to occupy or as also been mentioned forage income has increased and the need for room.

I noticed yesterday when removing my feeders all colonies are well stocked numbers wise and the seams were all covered, it has been mild of late and with winter bee production might be a few weeks before the summer bees decline.

They are sitting on top of another hive and although there is no direct airway, it’s probable that some heat rising from below could add to being overheated. I’m in process of making a ventilated eke to go under the split board tonight. The split board has 100mm x 100mm mesh in the centre and cooler air entering at that level will help l think. Overcrowding could almost certainly be a factor too (given recent weather and forage) and now that syrup feeding is done l’m going to open a top hole in the crown board for a while. Before someone mentions matchsticks, l have found previously, that bees often use this as recreation space to chill out in. Just about to check on them again - temp up to 17.5 now But cloudy.

 

[Hiveanidea]

”l’m lost ‘ere!”……..Just been to see them again and it seems they are ALL at it - even the nuc! The smell of Ivy is overpowering and it’s clearly driving them crazy. I’m pretty sure they’ll not go home after this party and it’ll be another all-nighter! Forecasted to be about 12 degrees at night and mist but rain coming at the weekend. Clustering deep under floors and all up the backs and front too. It’s never been like this, even during hot summerflows?
Do they know best or is there intervention needed?…...if so, any ideas welcome. Observe, lots with ivy pollen….so why are they hanging about outside too?

 

[Wilco]

Give them more space and see if it fixes the issue. If need be trial with one hive first then if successful do for all.

 

[Boston Bees]

”l’m lost ‘ere!”……..Just been to see them again and it seems they are ALL at it - even the nuc! The smell of Ivy is overpowering and it’s clearly driving them crazy. I’m pretty sure they’ll not go home after this party and it’ll be another all-nighter! Forecasted to be about 12 degrees at night and mist but rain coming at the weekend. Clustering deep under floors and all up the backs and front too. It’s never been like this, even during hot summerflows?
Do they know best or is there intervention needed?….View attachment 28717View attachment 28718View attachment 28719..if so, any ideas welcome. Observe, lots with ivy pollen….so why are they hanging about outside too?

Wow

If just one had an underfloor cluster like that I'd be looking for a rogue queen. But if all do, it's probably not that. Thanks for sharing the pics.

 

[Murox]

They are sitting on top of another hive and although there is no direct airway, it’s probable that some heat rising from below could add to being overheated. I’m in process of making a ventilated eke to go under the split board tonight. The split board has 100mm x 100mm mesh in the centre and cooler air entering at that level will help l think. Overcrowding could almost certainly be a factor too (given recent weather and forage) and now that syrup feeding is done l’m going open a top hole in the crown board for a while. Before someone mentions matchsticks, l have found previously, that bees often use this as recreation space to chill out in. Just about to check on them again - temp up to 17.5 now But cloudy.

That sort of makes sense - in my long hives there is space beyond the insulated dummy boards and I do find numbers of bees 'hanging out' especially early season when there is growth and a flow - that when I enlarge and increase the nest/frames.

 

[Erichalfbee]

”l’m lost ‘ere!”……..Just been to see them again and it seems they are ALL at it - even the nuc! The smell of Ivy is overpowering and it’s clearly driving them crazy. I’m pretty sure they’ll not go home after this party and it’ll be another all-nighter! Forecasted to be about 12 degrees at night and mist but rain coming at the weekend. Clustering deep under floors and all up the backs and front too. It’s never been like this, even during hot summerflows?
Do they know best or is there intervention needed?….View attachment 28717View attachment 28718View attachment 28719..if so, any ideas welcome. Observe, lots with ivy pollen….so why are they hanging about outside too?

Have a look inside. If they are full take a store frame out and put a frame of foundation in the middle of the nest.

 

[Hiveanidea]

Too late now, l’ll have a look tomorrow. You say in the middle - is it ok to divide the brood in that way or put foundation at the side of the brood. Having said that l guess the nest is contracting anyway.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I get foundation drawn in the middle this time of year if I"m feeding. If there is an Ivy flow I'm sure that would work just as well.

 

[user 819]

Never had this with occur with an ivy flow before but if the aroma is so over powering then it could be they are simply reacting to it. This year I am only sensing a very faint whiff of ivy at my hives, when I removed the feeders yesterday it didn't hit me in the face as it has done in other years.

 

[Hiveanidea]

I get foundation drawn in the middle this time of year if I"m feeding. If there is an Ivy flow I'm sure that would work just as well.

Ok. Just let me get my head round this. Certainly the hives are heavy with stores, but how will taking some out and replacing with foundation ease the situation with bees camping out for the night? There might be a temporary increase in space around the foundation but very soon it will become comb and adult bees live in the gaps between, not in the comb itself.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Well you will have two seams of bees busy drawing foundation and if the weather is still clement in a week you can do it again and yes bees do live in the comb not just in between.
Don't forget bees are dying off quite fast now

 

[Hiveanidea]

Yes, l suppose you’re right, bees do work ‘in’ the comb doing their stuff a lot of the time before stores and brood are capped. For now l’ve increased ventilation and allowed them free use of the attic. We’ll see what they make of it in the morning. THANKS EVERYONE………l’ll let you know.

 

[silentscyther]

My Warre hive girls did this bearding at night too. I’m a total newbie but I thought perhaps it was a matter of temperature regulation so I made a 75mm thick Celotex outer covering and apart from the girls taking a few steps back in shock at the new cladding they seem happy and have settled back inside

 

[Boston Bees]

My Warre hive girls did this bearding at night too. I’m a total newbie but I thought perhaps it was a matter of temperature regulation so I made a 75mm thick Celotex outer covering and apart from the girls taking a few steps back in shock at the new cladding they seem happy and have settled back inside

Have you added any insulation in the roof?

 

[Hiveanidea]

My Warre hive girls did this bearding at night too. I’m a total newbie but I thought perhaps it was a matter of temperature regulation so I made a 75mm thick Celotex outer covering and apart from the girls taking a few steps back in shock at the new cladding they seem happy and have settled back inside

Glad to hear that they went back in, though intrigued, you have added insulation for what purpose?
Mine are still outside! More correctly, clustered underneath the floors on three hives overnight.Though forecast to be 12 degrees last night, it went down to 6 degrees just before dawn. Nice and sunny now, up to 16 degs with bees flying in frenzy for the Ivy…..but still got bees underneath!!
If the don’t go back soon what should l do?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

open up the entrances, they are trying to regulate the heat and push around air to ripen the honey, they are never going to do that trying to push a large volume of air out through a pinhole, they are moving out to allow more room for air circulation

 

[Hiveanidea]

They’ve been out for 48hrs now and it seems the clusters under the OMF are growing!…close to 7” deep in place. Concluded the same - heat regulation, so pulled out the mite inspection boards and allowed more space above. They don’t seem to be budging! Have got the same with three hives next to each other and interestingly, some bees are interchanging freely between hive clusters with no challenging.
Some signs that they are drawing wax! If they persist, they are becoming isolated with no hope of survival. Any ideas for what to do next?…… Worried!

 

[Erichalfbee]

I might try putting a new floor on a stand. Lifting the brood box onto it. Add an Empty super on top, bang the bees into it then add a full complement of drawn frames. Top with crownboard insulation and roof. Replace where the used to live

 

[Hiveanidea]

open up the entrances, they are trying to regulate the heat and push around air to ripen the honey, they are never going to do that trying to push a large volume of air out through a pinhole, they are moving out to allow more room for air circulation

They have an OMF to ventilate the hive - but they are rather blocking that at the moment. I’ll try pulling out the entrance blocks tomorrow, already opened up wasp defences - they’ll need a big doorway to avoid a crush! Got two days to solve this problem before rains set in………and l thought it was all over!…..it isn’t now.

 

[Hiveanidea]

I might try putting a new floor on a stand. Lifting the brood box onto it. Add an Empty super on top, bang the bees into it then add a full complement of drawn frames. Top with crownboard insulation and roof. Replace where the used to live

That kind of idea by stealth was beginning to grow in my mind - though l had visions of quickly brushing them off into a cardboard box (as if a swarm) with a swan feather first, then dumping them into a super replaced on top and quickly adding the crown board. What do you think of adding a QX in between - not keen to have the super on all winter/spring. When can l take the super off?