Bee Behaviour question.

[mick]

It was another hot one today, about 90f or 35c and I noticed a hundred or so were on the front of the hive cooling off I spose. I shaded it and gave them a sprinkle with water that they like and  they carried back into the hive pretty quickly.

I noticed, like the other really hot days so far that there was a clump each time about the size of a matchbox, maybe 20 or 30 and 2 or 3 deep. Like they were on top of the queen maybe?

The rest were in a rough circle top right of the entrance. I notice that the clump moves back into the hive as a clump. The rest, well 80% of them form a line 3 abreast and march back in after the clump, the other 20% hang around, have a drink, some roll over like a dog on the lid! in the drops of water! Eventually they all go back in and only a few hang around the front.

So do you think the Queen could be in the clump getting some air? and what about this marchin in business, whats all that about?

cheers

[Finsky]

No, nothing to do with queen.

At afternoon homeworkers come out to clean them self and they fly so much that they are in clums and walk somethimes like in clumbs. If it has been a couple of rainy days effect is stronger.

It they have hot they make clums but clumbs stay many days and over night. It means that hive is too small or they have not empty combs for nectar etc.

[Michael Bush]

>It they have hot they make clums but clumbs stay many days and over night. It means that hive is too small or they have not empty combs for nectar etc.

Or not enough ventilation for the heat.