Lots of activity, lots of wasps...

[hombal]

It's probably nothing to worry about but there is a lot of activity around my hive. There are always about 10 bees around the entrance, if not more. They are all darting in and out, then dissapearing over the hedge. When they return, they are not carrying anything. I put them in this hive yesterday at about 12, after having transported them about 60 miles. I have a syrup feeder in place and there are some ants around the bottom. There are quite a few wasps about but they don't go near the entrance and just hover about the mesh at the bottom of the hive.

 

[hombal]

Is there anything I should do?
Is this normal?

 

[bobinfleet]

sounds normal to me

 

[Winker]

It's probably nothing to worry about but there is a lot of activity around my hive. There are always about 10 bees around the entrance, if not more. They are all darting in and out, then dissapearing over the hedge. When they return, they are not carrying anything. I put them in this hive yesterday at about 12, after having transported them about 60 miles. I have a syrup feeder in place and there are some ants around the bottom. There are quite a few wasps about but they don't go near the entrance and just hover about the mesh at the bottom of the hive.

If you drip any of that syrup outside the hive it WILL bring in the wasps

 

[hombal]

I was quite careful not to do so...Should I be worried that by day two there is nothing being brought into the hive?

 

[oliver90owner]

It's probably nothing to worry about but there is a lot of activity around my hive.

I would hope there is some activity! I might be worried if there was none at all, dependent on weather conditions of course.

Couple, or few, things to do.

Tell us if this is a five frame nuc on deeps. If so fill in the space below the frames unless you are happy for the bees to build wild comb.

Tell us what frames you have in your hive.

Tell us how you have configured the entrance. If full width reduce it to about half or less.

Tell us how you are feeding and why. If there is plenty of stores and plenty of forage, remove it.

Check there are no possible entry points around the OMF, and that the other entrance is securely closed.

Bees do not waste effort and simply go for joy-flights. They will be returning with either water, nectar, pollen or resin. You can be assured of that.

RAB

 

[hombal]

They are not on deep frames but I am happy for them to build wild comb.

The other frames (2) are deep frames, one of each side of the nuc.

The entrance consists 4x bee size holes.

The nuc has been in the box over winter and I saw some sealed honey when I moved the frames. I am not sure about how much as I was anxious to get the bees settled. I am using the feed so that they expand onto the new frames quickly.

The feeder is sealed and the only possible entrace is the main one.

 

[oliver90owner]

They are not on deep frames

I think you are muddled re frame nomenclature. Deeps are the 'normal' brood box size for Nationals. There are three National frame sizes - shallow, deep and extra deep. The extra deeps are also called jumbo an 14 x 12.

RAB

 

[Midland Beek]

They are not on deep frames but I am happy for them to build wild comb.
.

Do you know what you are doing?

Are we talking National hive or Beehaus?

Are we talking full complement of frames in hive or not?

 

[oliver90owner]

AI think a 4 bee way entrance is rediculous for an active colony, btw. I would only consider that in an emergency, for use when there is a serious wasp problem.

RAB

 

[hombal]

Right...
The frames I added are the frames that come with the beehaus.
The frames with the nuc are too short.

 

[oliver90owner]

The frames I added are the frames that come with the beehaus.

Unfortunately, when the pre-cursor to the beehaus was developed (back in the middle seventies) it was termed a 'long deep hive' . It used extra deep frames but that was conveniently forgotten for the hive description, presumably because the description 'long extra deep hive' did not roll off the tongue so well.

Your frames are extra deeps (or jumbos or 14 x 12s) to everyone else in the world other than the beehaus makers and some of their users.

The frames the nuc came on are almost certainly deeps.

Shallows are used (by most) for supers, and as broods for those who need some extra space (than a single deep) but do not wish to double up with another deep.

RAB

 

[hombal]

Ah okay, thanks for clearing that up. I have just been watching them and they seem to fly onto the landing pad, sit there for a while, almost talking to other bees, and then head off again or wander into the hive. I saw very little being carried into the hive.
Are they just exploring?

 

[hombal]

I have been watching some more and now (5:35, warm day) there are about 30-40 bees flying about the entrance and sitting on the landing platform. They are making quite a lot of noise. Is this unusual?

I am sorry if I am asking lots of silly questions, I am just getting worried that there is a problem.

 

[hombal]

Both of the houses next to ours have wasps nests in their garden's! What should I do? Should I try to remove them? Are they a large threat to my hive?

 

[MandF]

I have been watching some more and now (5:35, warm day) there are about 30-40 bees flying about the entrance and sitting on the landing platform. They are making quite a lot of noise. Is this unusual?

I am sorry if I am asking lots of silly questions, I am just getting worried that there is a problem.

Are you sure there werent drones flying? That would account for the extra noise!

 

[MandF]

Ah okay, thanks for clearing that up. I have just been watching them and they seem to fly onto the landing pad, sit there for a while, almost talking to other bees, and then head off again or wander into the hive. I saw very little being carried into the hive.
Are they just exploring?

Bees often land near a hive and rest for a while (few seconds and longer) before going into the hive. Don't think I have ever seen a bee land, wait then fly off out again - they will sometimes take off and fly back to the entrance as opposed to walk.

 

[MandF]

Both of the houses next to ours have wasps nests in their garden's! What should I do? Should I try to remove them? Are they a large threat to my hive?

I think you need to relax

Wait and see if the wasps present a problem for your hive first! Although I do kill wasps around my hives whenever I can, they do actually provide a bit of a service when they remove dead/dying bees.

 

[hombal]

Hmm...okay, ill wait and see. I am going to inspect the hive tomorrow, we will see if they are okay then...

 

[MandF]

Hmm...okay, ill wait and see. I am going to inspect the hive tomorrow, we will see if they are okay then...

I know it is difficult but you should also try not to open the hive unless absolutely necessary - once a week is usually enough (to check colony is Q+, to check for any signs of disease, to check space/stores, to check for swarming signs and to perform any tasks you had planned)

Every time you open the hive you lose pheramones, risk squishing the queen, potentially attract robbers and so on.

Taken to its extreme the bees could decide it isn't a very nice home and go elsewhere.