bees on face of hive at night

[mmundy]

What causes many of my bees to hang out on the face of my hive and around the entrance at night?

I tried to do a archive search on this but I guess I didn't know what terms to use... I found nothing.

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Michael Mundy
Liberty Missouri
http://www.geocities.com/libertybees/

[hoosierhiver]

they are most likely avoiding congestion and keeping the hive a little cooler by hanging outside.

[beebarf]

Mine hang out in little groups of about 7-10 a cluster, outside my hive every evening about 5:00pm-8:00pm. more so on hot days!!!

[Michael Bush]

It is normal. On a hot night I've seen the front of the hive covered with bees up to four or five boxes. A really booming hive an a hot night always has bees on the outside. When there are a lot I look at giving them more ventilation. Part of what happens is the field bees all come home at night and it's too hot inside for all those bees to generate heat so they get run out. A cool breeze will blow in and they will most of them go back inside. Or you prop up the inner cover with a stick and most of them go back inside.

[Hockenberry Honey]

Not sure, but I think the term is 'bearding'... I did not find anything here, but maybe other places.

Same reasons posted above, avoid congestion, temps down, place to hang out... Also remember something about bees hanging on the front of the hive, upside down, and moving back and forth. Had something to do with stimulating wax production from the glands on the underside.

fwiw

[mark williams]

I like to set on my porch at night>>>> mark

[GalvestonCo]

My bees do this too. When the temps are up to 90+ the front of my hives are covered with bees late in the evening up to the top of the bottom brood box. We finally got some rain and it cooled off the other day and I went out and things were back to normal.