Traffic jam in front of TBH

[ryan H]

New guy here.
Should I be worried about lots of bee flying around the entrance?
Um- I have 3 3/4" hole drilled on the end. Too small?

Thanks

[don2]

Do you know the difference between play flights/"orientation" flights, and robbing. could be either.If the bees are fighting each other then it could be robbing.Watch for a few minutes, orientation flights, the will come out and hover right in front at first, then they will expand that a little father out, etc. If it is robbing, then you should be able to detect fighting. If it is robbing you need to close up all but one hole. Hope this helps.  :) d2

[JWChesnut]

Doesn't sound like congestion.  In my experience, when entrances are too small the bees land on top of each other and "fight" their way into the hole. Bees can be knocked to the ground in the chaos, the backup spreads onto the hive sides and landing board.  You are not describing that multi-layer pile-up.  

Hovering flights around the entrance are orientation flights --  and these sometime occur in brief periods (mid-afternoon in my hives). In the buildup period, enormous clutches of brood hatch virtually simultaneously.  Does anyone know if the transition from nurse>forager caste is the time of the orientation flight, or if the newly hatched nurse does a flight before assuming tending duties.

 Robbing bees will "hunt" back and forth looking for the moment to make their dash towards the opening.  There are almost always guard bees at the entrance, greeting the arrivals by touching attenna or chasing the unauthorized off.  Do you see that.  I almost never see stinging fights at the entrance, but do see the bouncer's chasing off the riff-raff, the guards don't fly by run in patrol patterns on the landing board.

Drone will buzz the hive. I believe these might be orientation flights by the house drones, or drifting drones detecting a virgin queen and visiting.

[ryan H]

Wow!
I've read a bit about this, but I will watch the next couple of days and see what it is. Thanks for the info!
Another question...When do I need to worry about the hive being too warm? It is in morning sun and dappled afternoon sun.

[don2]

If you have holes on both front and back I wouldn't worry to much. They have their own cooling system. as long as it is not in the sun very long during the hottest part of the day then I think you are ok.  :) d2

[ryan H]

That leads me to another point.  I used # 8 screen and followed with a solid bottom for two reasons. The bottom is adjustable to allow for air movement but right now I've got it up tight. The other reason I did that was to manage pests. The thought being that mites and SHB would fall though and get stuck on the veg. oil on the top of the bottom board. ( I haven't had the need to do that yet.) If there is an easier way for pest management, and my hives are safe from overheating, I would love to have a solid bottom. My feeder would sit in the back way better and I could have a landing board insted of the holes.