bees walk back and forth on landing board

[MichelinMan]

Hi there,

I noticed a peculiar behavior today. On a hive I installed 3 weeks ago, I observed a number of bees at the hive entrance doing a sort of cha-cha-cha dance. They would bump their behinds on the landing board a few times then take 4 or 5 steps, then without turning around they walk backwards 4 or 5 steps and do the bump thing again and so on. While they were doing this, regular traffic was coming and going and the other bees didn`t pay them any mind. When they did the bump thing their stinger was not exposed. What do you think this means? :scratch:

[Josh Carmack]

It's called washboarding, sometimes bees do it, most will tell you we don't know why, some will say they are getting ready to swarm, others will say they are in distress, I personally think they got ahold of some fermented mead and decided to have a party out in the cool

[Josh Carmack]

I meant to add I have a video of them doing it. I was cutting the grass and noticed that they were ALL doing it in unison, looked like a tiny Rocketts show. When i passed by with the mower it tossed a little grass on them and broke it all up, when they went back to doing it, they wer no longer in unison.

[beedeetee]

In my experience washboarding (with many bees doing it, not just a couple) coincides with a lack of nectar. Our flow is just finished and I am seeing more of them doing it now. Bored bees. House full of honey and brood and nothing to do.

[devdog108]

throw a little dirt on the landing board and watch. I watched mine VERY closely. ALl of the bees washboarding had their tongues all the way out onto the board. ZThey cleared the dirt very quickly!

[m.zook]

[QUOTE=Josh Carmack;448983]I meant to add I have a video of them doing it.

please post the video.Ive been beekeeping for many years and have never seen this. Im not as lucky as some who keep there bees on there property:(
so I miss alot

[MichelinMan]

[QUOTE=Josh Carmack;448983]I meant to add I have a video of them doing it.

please post the video.Ive been beekeeping for many years and have never seen this. Im not as lucky as some who keep there bees on there property:(
so I miss alot

M.Zook ... check this one out washboarding bees (http://www.flickr.com/photos/dbroberg/2670112474/)

[m.zook]

Thanks that was pretty cool.I think ive seen that but didnt make a mental note

[EastSideBuzz]

I meant to add I have a video of them doing it.

Nice video.