How do you know if the hive it to full. I thought that with 4 hive bodies that they would have plenty of room. Can a queen keep up with that many frames.
I'll open the hive tonight and see if I have any room in the hive. Would adding another honey super on top help?
The number of hive bodies as nothing to do with bearding bees. Bearding bees are the result of 1. overcrowding within the hive, 2. increasing the space between bees in a effort to reduce temperatures during warmer weather (most likely here), 3. Or bees working a moving air in and around within the hive.
You can have an empty super on a hive and they will still beard in the case of #2 & 3.