[libhart]

A couple weeks ago we had 100+ degree weather, a little odd for this area. I put a few sticks, maybe 1/4 in diameter, at the corners of the inner cover to lift the telescopic cover off a little bit so some more air would move through there. We just got done (literally 2hrs or so ago) having some really good rain, not a delluge, just good steady rain. I just went out and lifted that outer cover for a peek and I've got bees covering the inner cover just seemingly hanging out, not doing anything useful at all. There are foragers coming and going now at the entrance....so are these just lazy freeloader bees or what? Just curious about them not really seemingly doing any job at all.

 

[ken rice]

If the opening you made at the top is wide enough for bees to go thru, My guess is, these may bee guard bees,Just a guess

 

[beedeetee]

I have bees on top of all of my inner covers any time it is warm enough to break their cluster. I think in the winter they like the warm air moving by and in the summer maybe it is the cool air.

On my hives with inner covers I leave my telescoping lids propped up all year for ventilation which is probably why I always see them there.

 

[John V]

We had a big rain a few nights ago. I was worried about the wind blowing the covers off of them and kept looking out the window throughout the night. They were fine but I was suprised when I checked them last (around 2:30 a.m.)to find it had stopped raining and the bees were covering a good portion of the front of the hive. I guess you could have called it bearding although they were just up the front of the hive. I thought it was odd they were out so late AND after a rain.... I guess I'll have to set a curfew for them. It's bad enough they wonder off when I'm not looking...

Later, John

 

[wcubed]

Those bees upstairs that appear to be loafing are doing a very important job for you - tongue drying nectar. They gather up there in colony heat rise to dry nectar to honey moisture content. By pre drying the nectar, a strong colony in a good flow can fill and cap a super in a week. If you doubt this, squish one. Her tank is filled nectar being dryed.

Walt

 

[sqkcrk]

libhart,
w/ 40,000 to 60,000 bees in a hive, you are going to have a percentage of them doing any numbers of jobs at any given time. There are always some bees that don't appear to be doing anything. But that doesn't mean they aren't. We just may not be able to tell what they are doing. And I don't know if they need to justify what they are doing or not. Laziness is a human characteristic, not an animal characteristic.

It's hot and humid right now. Why would they be doing something that would add to that heat and humidity. The foragers are foraging and the nurse bees are nursing and the queen is laying eggs. What those that you saw hanging out are doing, perhaps, is getting out of the brood nest so it doesn't over heat.

That or maybe you just discovered the lounge. They were enjoying a drink, some company and a show. What happens on the inner cover, stays on the inner cover.

Or maybe that's where the internet cafe is.

 

[libhart]

Yeah, that's very true (human vs animal). I checked the hive the next day and there was only a fraction of the number up there. I'm sure some of them, maybe many of them, were foragers that just hadn't discovered it was safe to venture out after the rains.

Walt....that's awesome! I had no idea they did that. I'm fairly new, but I've read quite a bit, and never heard of them doing that.

Never will I doubt my girls again

Thanks.

 

[sqkcrk]

Yeah, back some 30 years ago Dr. Tew said that some times bees just kick back and have a beer. Time off, break time. The poor buggers work themselves to death, ya know. They deserve one day off in their six weeks of life. Don't ya think?