Question Looks like box wants to Swarm?????

[Foleybees]

Question Looks like box wants to Swarm?????

Hey, I've got an issue I've not seen before. Approximately 3 days ago, I went into a couple of hives. Since then one of the boxes appears to have most of the bees living on the outside of the box.

I place a new box, with it's entrance on the bottom of that box, on top of the whole hive. Maybe dumb but I thought...well, if they do not want to go back in the old box, maybe they will make a new home inside this new box. No dice. They just moved to the front of the hive under the top of the original lid.

I realize it's hot out there but they do not seem to even leave the box...like they are a swarm.

What in the world?

[johnblagg]

its called bearding and when its hot they do this to keep the hive cooler ...the first few times you see it you wonder if they are going to swarm for sure.

[Kazzandra]

Classic bearding signs-- bees on the front porch, and bees just under the lid. Intimidating to open a bearding hive, for sure! I have ventilated inner screens, and not being able to see through them when I take cover off makes me want to run!

[Foleybees]

Thanks folks. I am going to go in the box tomorrow (Thursday) and make sure it's okay. I've lost my best 3 hives lately to moths and do not want to lose another.