Bee activity patterns.

[MJuric]

I'm a completely new keeper and so far it's been interesting. However the most interesting thing I've been watching is how quickly they seem to react to the weather.

I'm wondering what are some basic "Guidelines", temp, wind, cloudiness, rain etc and how they react to each.

From what little I've seen it appears they are very interested in being in the hive any time it's not mostly to very sunny. If a decent cloud layer rolls in they are inside, early in the morning they don't come out before it's sunny and at night they are in well before sunset.

This AM it was 55 degrees and sunny and I expected them to be out and about and there was very little activity. I'm assuming it was still to cold.

So what are some basic weather guidelines? When can I expect to see a flurry of activity and when will they all be inside?

~Matt

[AramF]

I notice that they do not like rain, they do not like early morning or early evening and they seem to be out the moment the dandilion flowers open up. I have a two 30 foot cherry trees in constant full bloom, but dandilions opening up in non-rainy conditions seem to do the trick. See if it holds true for you too.

It seems reasonable not to forage if you cannot make it back easily or if forage is not available. Walt Wright in his articles discussed how only a small percentage of bees ever leaves the hive, because they really are risk averse creatures by nature. Maybe they periodically send out scouts and when the scouts come back with pollen or nectar, then they send out more troops. Just thinking of the top of my head.

[NasalSponge]

Most agree 50 F is about where they will take flight, that is ambient temp not thermometer temp (which is taken in the shade). They like it warm and sunny. Lots of folks say wind is a big issue but my bee's are out in force with 30 mph sustained winds so I think not so much. They don;t care for rain. My bee's are very happy right now with clear skies, warm temps, light wind, and the yellow sweet clover blooming in all it's glory!!

[CharlieN]

The hives I keep in my front yard for my grandkids are a bit strange. I go out to the car about 645:7:00am to drive over to my daughters to pick up my youngest grandchild almost every day - he loves to come over and "play" with bees and mess around in the garden. This time of year it's daylight but the sun hasn't made it up over Posey mt due east of us and I find them already out and about. I've set on the porch in the swing many times and watched them still bringing in pollen and stuff till it's almost dark. Strange bees indeed.....

[beedeetee]

It depends on how much they need to fly. This spring my bees fly if we have 15 minutes of non-rainy weather because if they didn't they would never get out this year. They even fly in light showers. I notice that in the winter they will fly in the low 40's, in the summer after the flow has been on for a while they won't come out until almost 60 and sleep in until 8:00 or so.

So I suspect it will depend on where you live, how much they need pollen and nectar and the typical weather conditions.

[Mike Gillmore]

This AM it was 55 degrees and sunny and I expected them to be out and about and there was very little activity. I'm assuming it was still to cold.
~Matt

If there is a lot of brood to cover and keep warm then the lack of activity you mentioned is normal. I suspect that when your temps get over 60 deg you will see a marked increase in activity, even on cloudy days. When the Cherry, Apple, and Dandelion are blooming they will be bringing in as much pollen as they can at a frantic pace.