Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: Ocean on August 02, 2005, 07:22:56 pm

Title: Strange behavior by the bees
Post by: Ocean on August 02, 2005, 07:22:56 pm

Hey everyone, past couple of days my bees are acting kinda strange.. they all bunch up outside, and go back and forth like they doing something, but i can't figure out what they are doing...

I also noticed that the bees that are doing this are relatively small compare to the once i first got.. so iam guessing its the new borns that just evolved..

I will get a camera and film what exactly are they doing... ( going back and forth on one spot )


what can it be?

Title: Strange behavior by the bees
Post by: bassman1977 on August 02, 2005, 07:27:51 pm

To be clear, are they going back and  forth in a bunch?  If there are a lot of bees that are not in a tight group, it could be just orientation flights that you are seeing.

I'm guesssing that's probably what it is considering you are seasoned in bees swarming (if I remember your posts correctly from earlier this year).

Title: Strange behavior by the bees
Post by: Jerrymac on August 02, 2005, 08:05:53 pm

This morning each of my hives had a few bees, not flying, but apeared to be scrubbing the wood where they stood. Then they would move a little and scrub some more.

Title: Strange behavior by the bees
Post by: bassman1977 on August 02, 2005, 08:08:03 pm

Think you could bring them by my place?  My kitchen could always use a little cleaning.   :lol:  :lol:  :lol:

Title: Strange behavior by the bees
Post by: Ocean on August 02, 2005, 08:48:16 pm

ye thats what they are doing its like scrubbing back and forth back and forth...

i just inspected both hives and one hive had bees like i said scrubbing back and forth, the other just had some bees clustering outside... here are some pictures of both hives and videos...

Please clarify what this behavior really is, after looking at the videos

First 2 pictures are From BEEHIVE #1

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v175/Dasik/Bees/100_2907.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v175/Dasik/Bees/100_2908.jpg)

Here is Hive #2

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v175/Dasik/Bees/100_2913.jpg)




And here are the Videos they are Quicktime Format



http://s93163891.onlinehome.us/Eldars/Bees/Hive1.mov

http://s93163891.onlinehome.us/Eldars/Bees/Hive2.mov

Title: Strange behavior by the bees
Post by: Kris^ on August 02, 2005, 09:20:52 pm

They're "washboarding."  I don't think anyone really knows why they do it, but there are several theories.  I think it's just because there's not much to do in the hive right now and they have to work off their nervous energy.

-- Kris

Title: Strange behavior by the bees
Post by: Ocean on August 03, 2005, 02:58:18 am

when do you start feeding the bees syrup again?

Title: Strange behavior by the bees
Post by: amymcg on August 03, 2005, 08:12:02 am

Ocean,

Once you have taken your honey for the year, you can feed and/or medicate. Up here in Massachusetts, that's pretty soon. Like in the next week.

Title: Strange behavior by the bees
Post by: Michael Bush on August 03, 2005, 10:41:37 am

It's a group bee dance called the washboard.