1/4 till 9 and still bearding

[tileguy]

Ok so...... I keep telling myself not to worry, but its 1/4 till 9 at night and cool and overcast out and I still have a baseball size ball outside the entrance. I noticed this morn they were like that and wondered if they stayed allnight that way. I keep looking and still there. The other 2 hives are inside. What to do?????
T.G.

[BEES4U]

You might top super them with a medium.
Open up the entrance 100% so that they can ventilate.
Regards,
Ernie Lucas Apiareies

[tileguy]

Entrance is open, added a second deep last week so there was plenty of room and I put a shim in the top cover. Unless they built so much brood inside the entrance that it pluged it up?????.....LOL
T.G.

[scottsbees]

Tileguy, now I'm no expert, but you might try taking out 1 of the 10 frames in the deep to give them a little more room, and it will also get the air flowing through the hive a little better. make sure the frames are evenly spaced.

[tileguy]

Thanks, I may go back in later and check, its about 9:30 and about half have moved in and there is a roaring buzz from inside. I just hate to mess with them too much. Should I maybe reverse the upper deep with the lower deep? Or just do nothing and watch them for a week?????
T.G.

[tileguy]

Well I just got off work and had to look in on them. The bottom box was packed with brood and bees and half of the upper deep was 1/3 full. I rotated the top to the bottom and will give it a couple days then add another super. Unless you guys think I should do something else?
Thanks, T.G.

[hikerboy]

Admittedly, I'm no expert, but my girls hang out on the front porch when it's not even that hot outside at night (60-70?) and they seem to be doing well.

[Oldbee]

"The other two hives are inside. What to do???"

Maybe some hives are just different. I wish I knew why also. Of the three hives that I have, the middle one was always bearding or washboarding, for two seasons in a row.

[Budster]

I honestly think it depends on the bees in the hive. Different traits, breeding, etc. I like my house at 76, my wife would prefer 74... Same difference.

[Michael Bush]

On a hot night they will beard all night. There are more bees home at night that in the daytime. Make sure they have room. Make sure they have ventilation, and don't worry about it.

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