[natureboy68]

i noticed the girls today licking the the entrance to the hive, everywhere! are they propolizing? or adding water for cooling? very interesting behavior...

 

[beedeetee]

Search: washboarding

 

[Bsweet]

were they kind of moveing forward and backward? if so more than likely they were washboarding (as its called).There are many thoughts as to why the do this, cooling of on the porch, just hanging out with the girls,cleaning the house.prepareing to swarm. take your choice. I think for the most part its just a big family hanging out on the porch trying to cool off. Jim

 

[NDnewbeek]

I think it might have been Peter Loring Borst (but I could be mistaken) who suggested in ABJ recently that washboarding may also be the bees spreading pheromones on the hive (for orientation and identification purposes).

We can add that to the list of possible explanations.

 

[NasalSponge]

That makes the most sense of all.

 

[natureboy68]

after doing a bit more research, they are washboarding, why? they'll never tell...

 

[pbuhler]

Maybe for the fun of it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNK-cl_yHIU

 

[honeydreams]

Some times it looks like Honky tonk line dancing.:lpf:

 

[Countryboy]

I recently made a video of some bees doing the washboarding dance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLqJELzSnk4

I wonder if the bees aren't tongue drying nectar when they are washboarding.

 

[MeriB]

Mine were licking the landing but they weren't dancing. They were just in lines licking the landing board, :scratch:
Meridith