What's going on here.

[Millet]

One hour after adding a eke and fondant I noticed this..the cluster was slightly bigger when I first spotted it and a few bees where fanning there nasanov gland..the odd bees where flying but is far too cold and wet for this behaviour..it was as though they had tried too swarm but changed there mind.

 

[For want of a better word]

A reaction to disturbance ?... noticed similar when topping up feeders last week.

Nadelik Lowen

 

[enrico]

They suddenly realised there was food close by. The signals were that it was very close, so they came out to find it! Takes a while for them to locate it after they have been told it is there! That's my opinion anyway.

 

[MartinL]

You killed the queen?

 

[MartinL]

LOL, just kidding





I'd go with disturbed.
Maybe needed a pooo?

 

[simonforeman]

Yep same as cheers.. . I've noticed same on mine when I added fondant and disturbed them

 

[Millet]

They suddenly realised there was food close by. The signals were that it was very close, so they came out to find it! Takes a while for them to locate it after they have been told it is there! That's my opinion anyway.

That sounds like a good opinion ..

 

[Millet]

You killed the queen?

I can't have killed the Queen as there is not one in there..

 

[Beefriendly]

I think Enrico has it nailed....waggle dances indicate food close by but no directionality on the close ones.
Very much doubt it's a communal poo session

 

[Millet]

I think Enrico has it nailed....waggle dances indicate food close by but no directionality on the close ones.
Very much doubt it's a communal poo session

Enrico has definitely nailed it for me.. the Nasanov gland on several of the bees must have been to direct them back inside there abode, the Queen there's food in here so to speak..

 

[BernardBlack]

They suddenly realised there was food close by. The signals were that it was very close, so they came out to find it! Takes a while for them to locate it after they have been told it is there! That's my opinion anyway.

Ah yes, remember about this. They alert others to food less than 100 metres away, and bees fly out wondering where the hell this food is... when it’s actually above their heads. But they can’t actually relay that info properly. They just know it’s somewhere nearby.

It’s one of the reasons why it’s best to feed at night when they’re all inside, and they don’t need to waste energy looking about for this food source. It’s hoped by morning they’ve found this food above.