Idle B's ?

[Beeconcerned]

It's raining hard and all the foragers are inside hives. Do they just literally hang about, or do they do something useful?

 

[Jimmy]

It's raining hard and all the foragers are inside hives. Do they just literally hang about, or do they do something useful?

The swarm committee sits and plans for the first sunny warm day........

 

[pargyle]

It's raining hard and all the foragers are inside hives. Do they just literally hang about, or do they do something useful?

They all sit around plotting how they are going to confound your efforts to make them conform to the beekeeping books !

Seriously, they always find things to do - if you have clear crown boards even on wet and windy days you can see they are busy .. premumably feeding brood and keeping it warm, making comb, cleaning, chucking out the dead, fanning, moving, processing and ripening stores, guard duties - a girl's chores are never done ! I rarely see bees stationary for any real length of time.

 

[Murox]

It's raining hard and all the foragers are inside hives. Do they just literally hang about, or do they do something useful?

Taking a well earned break I hope.

Buts it's an interesting question, maybe they do get on with other hive duties they are adaptable. What happens in prolonged bad weather?
As the hive fills up with bees and stores the Q will be prompted to lay less and the swarming committee may well hold counsel.
Looking at other creatures I reckon short term they just "put their feet up" and wait.

 

[gmonag]

According to Prof. Tom Seeley, in inclement weather the foragers literally just sit around in the hive, doing nothing (not sleeping but in torpor) until a scout comes along and gees them up. They actually grab and shake them to get them going.
Also, despite the adage that bees are always working, the foragers only work for about 8-10 hours a day, even in good conditions.

 

[drex]

I've always thought that over winter they get a massive card school going.

 

[jeff33]

They may just have a stash of mead amongst their store and get hammered on it?

 

[Curly green finger's]

They may just have a stash of mead amongst their store and get hammered on it?

Sounds like a plan after all it is Friday!..

 

[Beersmith]

I've always thought that over winter they get a massive card school going.

An easy mistake to make.

Actually they play I spy.

As in "I spy with my compound eye, something beginning with bee".

 

[extremereading]

"only work for about 8-10 hours a day" - That all?