Author Topic: Bee haviour (Read 2093 times)

BEE C · « **on:** September 11, 2006, 07:03:06 pm »

I have been getting my hives ready for winter slowly, taking off suppers and extracting, reducing entrances to a few inches wide. The other day I took a super off of my smaller hive, reducing it to two deep brood boxes. I was going to look farther down, but came across frames of brood in the second box. I took the super back to let them clean it and found LOTS of bees at the entrance. Hovering as if they were traffic jammed to get in. I thought it might be robbing, so I took a closer look, but saw no fighting, and A LOT (15) of bees with butts in the air spreading nasanov scent. LOTS of the bees were bringing in pollen. I added the extracted super and left them as I have to get to work. Any ideas about what this all about?

John Quixote · « **Reply #1 on:** September 11, 2006, 07:47:51 pm »

If you are removing supers, I have been told that "bearding" (bees hanging around the entrance, looks like a beard on the hive) is a common occurance as the population is driven into a smaller space.

Michael Bush · « **Reply #2 on:** September 11, 2006, 11:16:34 pm »

Any disruption of a hive sets off nasanoving. It's just the bees response to regroup.

qa33010 · « **Reply #3 on:** September 12, 2006, 12:45:47 am »

Orientation flights of your latest over-winter bees?

David