Water carrying

OK, while the "is the queen laying or not?" question is still outstanding, here's something new: 20 or so bees from our hive are visiting the main garden, filling up with water at the pond, then spiralling back over the road, 100m or so to where the hive is located.

I can see the go and return path, with a constant loop of bees, fetching water for the hive.

What's this about? It isn't very hot, I'm not feeding them candy. Are they having to use their stored honey? If so, why?

FG

 

[oliver90owner]

That is why a nuc is made up that way - an adequate reserve of stores. They are using it because they are not collecting enough nectar.

Regards, RAB

 

[Firegazer]

I think, comparing last week's and this week's inspection, that their stores have gone down a bit, which jives which your comment.

Is this bad news? I would have expected them to be well into nectar profit with the recent sunny weather, and not many bees at the moment.

Video of them drinking posted at http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/video.php?do=viewdetails&videoid=75