What happened?

[wxton]

Yesterday afternoon when I got home from work I noticed bees (thousands of them) circling outside there hive.  this went on for about 30 mnutes or so and then...boom they all descended on the hive (I presume it was the bees from the hive that were circling but I can not say with 100% accuracy).  Once they descended on the hive in about 20 minutes all of them were back in it.  What was going on?  When i first saw them I thought that they were trying to swarm  but then they all went back into the hive.  this is a new hive.  It is a ten fram deep super that was started from a nuc.  all the frames are not completely drawn out but I am going to go ahead and add a medium honey super tomorrow (not enough time today).  The bees have been in this hive about 3 weeks.  Any ideas?

[Robo]

Young bees orienting themselves with the hive.   This is quite common in the afternoon.

[Two Bees]

Robo's right.......happens almost every afternoon in my beeyard around 3:00 or so.  Can really be impressive depending upon how many house bees are "graduating" to forager bees!

[Natalie]

We noticed that the other day, its pretty cool and it makes you feel good to know that there are going to be new foragers and the population is increasing.

[JP]

2:30-4:30 pm, orientating flights, a great time to sight see.


...JP

[Natalie]

So true, we were out working in the yard when I noticed it so I called my daughter over to watch them with me.

She just got home from college and hasn't been around the bees at all.
She was nervous at first and told me I was sitting too close to the hive and asked me if I was worried they would sting me but after a few minutes she relaxed a little.

 I told her to watch for the ones coming back into the hive with different colored pollen and she seem interested, but she could have just been humoring me too, she thinks I am crazy as it is because I raise chickens, keep bees and find gardening ( manual labor to her) fun. Hopefully she was really interested. ;)

[Shawn]

Very scary thing for a new bee keeper, at least it was for me. I thought they were swarming so I ran out with some syrup and poured it hoping to keep them in. Now I just sit and watch all three hives orientate at the same time. Quite fun to watch.

[Irwin]

Yesterday afternoon when I got home from work I noticed bees (thousands of them) circling outside there hive.  this went on for about 30 mnutes or so and then...boom they all descended on the hive (I presume it was the bees from the hive that were circling but I can not say with 100% accuracy).  Once they descended on the hive in about 20 minutes all of them were back in it.  What was going on?  When i first saw them I thought that they were trying to swarm  but then they all went back into the hive.  this is a new hive.  It is a ten fram deep super that was started from a nuc.  all the frames are not completely drawn out but I am going to go ahead and add a medium honey super tomorrow (not enough time today).  The bees have been in this hive about 3 weeks.  Any ideas?

I had to add a super 7 day's after I started my nuc :-D and mine do the orientating around 3 pm

[JP]

For a wonderful zen moment with your bees, stand right in the middle of 'em when they're orienting, for a short time and lose yourself in your bees.

Takes the mind off all bad things, instantly!


...JP

[Irwin]

For a wonderful zen moment with your bees, stand right in the middle of 'em when they're orienting, for a short time and lose yourself in your bees.

Takes the mind off all bad things, instantly!


...JP

Cool I'm not the only one that dose it :-D

[JP]

Nope, we are not the only two Irwin! ;)


...JP

[Shawn]

Jp, Ill take your word for that one but I dont see myself doing that.  :-D

[annette]

Gosh I remember the first time I saw them doing that, I immediately called the Sacramento Beekeeping Supply for help. They explained to me about the orientating and I just could not believe this was happening.  Yep it was 3:00 in the afternoon and by 3:30 it all calmed down again.

I just love when they do this and consider it a happy and healthy thing for them to do. It sure makes me happy to see this.

Enjoy your new bees

Annette

[Keith13]

First time I saw this I thought they were about to swarm as well. Then when they all started going in I was convinced it was robbing until I noticed it happening everyday and also reading the forums did I relax. Like JP and Irwin I will go out to my yard and watch them close but not necessarily in the middle of them, I don't trust them that much.

Keith

[Michael Bush]

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesfaqs.htm#orientation

[JP]

Let me clarify things a bit. Stand off to the side a little, you certainly don't want to block the entrance. My bees were orienting at 5 pm this evening.


...JP

[Brian D. Bray]

Let me clarify things a bit. Stand off to the side a little, you certainly don't want to block the entrance. My bees were orienting at 5 pm this evening.


...JP

Standing directly infront of the entrance is a good way to get zinged in the back of the neck or the head.  Anything that obstructs or blocks the entrance (think bear) is a threat to the hive, from the bees POV.

[Michael Bush]

That may just be all the field bees coming home...