Does Bearding Inhibit Honey Production?

1554 Views 4 Replies 5 Participants Last post by NasalSponge, Jul 19, 2010

chefbeek

Discussion Starter · Jul 19, 2010

I have 2 colonies at my house that have put up almost 150# surplus each year for the last 3. This year started the same, but then we hit a heat wave and they began to beard like crazy and haven't stopped. I do have SBB and vented tops. The last 2 weeks were very productive in my other yards, but when I went in to my home yard it looked like they made zero progress despite what I thought was very active foraging. Plenty of clover out there and star thistle started last week. Mid Summer flows are pretty dependable where I am.

Any correlation between bearding and production? Or is there something else I'm missing? Any hive manipulations you'd recommend?

TIA
Eamon

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sqkcrk

· #2 · Jul 19, 2010

It doesn't inhibit it. Bearding is something that the bees need to do. They may be drying nectar as they beard.

Just because bees don't look like they are doing anything doesn't mean that they aren't doing anything. Maybe they are getting out of the hive so they don't over heat the brood.

Maybe they are hanging out having a respite from their endless work. One day in the life of a bee isn't too much to ask for a day off in 42 days of adult life. Is it?

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Rick 1456

· #3 · Jul 19, 2010

All but one of my hives is busy,busy,busy. The one has a large congregation clogging the entrance.(looks like bearding but different) There are some bees flying in and out bringing in some pollen. I've confirmed this hive queenless. My conclusion is this "lack luster" behavior is due to the queen less situation . Is this a reasonable conclusion?

Thanks
Rick SoMd

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Fuzzy

· #4 · Jul 19, 2010

Simple logic says that if the bees are hanging on the porch...
a. they ain't working
b. The hive is too hot
c. They are being stressed

So, create shade on the south and west sides of the hive stack and increase the top opening. You might also add an empty box or two to reduce crowding.

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NasalSponge

· #5 · Jul 19, 2010

If you want to stop bearding install slatted racks. I have them on two hive as an experiment and these are the only two hive that never bearded.

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