Bees Vibrating on Queen Cells

**Mosherd1** · 05-06-2011, 02:00 PM

I have a nuc the did not accept the queen I introduced to it and they ended up raising cells. The cells should be within a day of hatching. I noticed workers vibrating their bodies ontop of the queen cells. Not just one but a number of them. Any idea why they are doing this?

**megank** · 05-06-2011, 03:35 PM

I've noticed that behavior on swarm cells. I believe it's a way of keeping the queens confined in the cells and or letting them know that there are other virgins that may rival them. I've cut out ripe swarm cells with bees doing that and as soon I have them separated, the virgin quickly emerges.

**KQ6AR** · 05-06-2011, 04:38 PM

I remember reading the same thing somewhere before. To keep them from coming out until the swarm leaves.

**Ted Kretschmann** · 05-06-2011, 05:23 PM

The vibration is called the DVAV dance. The worker shakes her abdomen in an up and down motion very rapidly. It is sometimes called the "Joy Dance". In this case a new queen is ready to emerge and the worker is "happily" telling any nearby bee this occasion. Not only communicating as mentioned by everyone else this information to any rival queens that are on the verge of emergence. You will see this same dance when honeyflows are good. The colony is doing well. And yes at swarming. All these events are a "happy" time for a prosperus colony. TK