washboarding, observation

[jefftck]

washboarding, observation,
After reading the thread about strange bee behavior, http://www.beemaster.com/beebbs/viewtopic.php?t=3595
I noticed my bees had been doing the same thing all along, Just didn’t think to much about it. At the time I had only one hive and only for a month or so. Then after helping an experienced beekeeper of forty + years I had the opportunity to help catch a swarm, I posted about here. http://www.beemaster.com/beebbs/viewtopic.php?t=3613
After a week I realized we didn’t get the queen, I had a queen less colony… my point is, I noticed the queen less hive did not do this scrubber dance until after they had a queen and she had started laying. Later I was given another hive of bees by my beekeeper friend with a few frames of capped brood he said I could just add it to the swarm colony we captured, to help keep it strong till the new bees hatch. I decided to let that new bunch raise a queen and then I would have 3 colonies. Back to my point, I noticed this colony did not start to do the scrubber dance until the new queen hatched and started lying.

Is this just a coincidence, or does them having a laying queen make them do this little dance, it sure seems to have an effect on there behavior on the entrance board.

Just a note, my hives are very close to my house and shop where I work, I have made several trips a day to watch them. Just wanted to see if anyone has noticed anything like this with your bees.
Or do I just spend too much time watching them....LOL :D

[Michael Bush]

>Is this just a coincidence, or does them having a laying queen make them do this little dance, it sure seems to have an effect on there behavior on the entrance board.


Interesting observation.  I don't know if there is a connection.  I will try to keep it in mind when looking for queenless hives.

Maybe they don't feel like dancing when there isn't a queen.  :)