Growl???

4859 Views 15 Replies 10 Participants Last post by CajunBee, Jul 10, 2014

Blackwater Bees

Discussion Starter · Jul 10, 2014

In the last two weeks, when checking a certain hive, I have heard a low pitched "growl" coming from in the hive. It sounds almost like a possum or **** growl. Nothing in the hive but bees, I checked. Nothing under the hive, I checked. Its mowed around the hives so nowhere for anything to hide. Its been the same hive twice now. Its on a hive stand with several other hives and nucs. It is the last one on the row. Its a double decker 10 frame queen right lang, top entrances with queen excluders, with a super thats full of half capped and one super on top they're slowly filling. They're still bringing in a little pollen and nectar, so flow not dearth. No queen cells capped or open. They are as gentle as can be. I've torn it a part twice now looking for the cause. I haven't laid eyes on the queen, but I've got eggs and uncapped brood, I usually try to get the inspection over with quickly this time of year due to robbing concerns. All Any ideas?

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angel

· #2 · Jul 10, 2014

My belly does that when I get around honey... no seriously, how about a frog in the area?

Here is another thread about the same subject.

http://www.beesource.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-261131.html?

melliferal

· #3 · Jul 10, 2014

If you've taken apart the hive and confirmed there's nothing in there, and it continues to growl, I'm really at a loss for what to recommend. A clergymember from your favorite religion, perhaps.

gone2seed

· #4 · Jul 10, 2014

Airflow through the hive causing a vibration on something in the hive??

melliferal

· #5 · Jul 10, 2014

At the thread to which angel links, there's a video of the bees apparently "growling". It certainly sounds like an animal noise and not some kind of wind effect - to me at least.

Blackwater Bees

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jul 10, 2014

No airflow. Solid bottom board. Definately coming from between two frames. Stops when you start separating frames.

Backyarder

· #7 · Jul 10, 2014

I thought i was the only one that had possessed hives! My hive that makes that noise is 5 mediums tall, 8 frame. Two days ago we he'd the same low "****" growl. Not a buzz but a real poltergeist growl.
It seems to be coming from deep in the hive. After checking a few frames in the top box they stopped for a bit. Then about the time i put the lid back on they started again.
My hives have some duragilt foundation frames and some foundationless. It does have a screened bb with coroplast ipm board. I wonder if taking the top off causes enough air movement up through the hthe, like a chimney, to make the lightweight plastic board on the bottom to vibrate.

Edit* while I was typing my thesis on my phone my theory seems to have been debunked.

Blackwater Bees

Discussion Starter · #8 · Jul 10, 2014

I had seen the other thread. The sound in the video sounds like a frog to me, not like mine. Mine is like a dog growling at another dog, like he's gonna try to take his food. Not loud; low, long, and nasty. No big issue, they're not aggressive and are producing/growing well. I just had never heard that sound in a hive before.

Backyarder

· #9 · Jul 10, 2014

I have no idea what it is but you are describing the noise in my hive exactly.

ForrestB

· #10 · Jul 10, 2014

http://www.****lol.com/i/f2103ed8b8a25fa5d1d4893cad1342bf.jpg

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Boone

· #11 · Jul 10, 2014

I have no idea. There is a link to a video in the other post listed at the top. Very strange.

justusflynns

· #12 · Jul 10, 2014

Maybe they're farting.

melliferal

· #13 · Jul 10, 2014

Blackwater Bees said:
I had seen the other thread. The sound in the video sounds like a frog to me, not like mine. Mine is like a dog growling at another dog, like he's gonna try to take his food. Not loud; low, long, and nasty. No big issue, they're not aggressive and are producing/growing well. I just had never heard that sound in a hive before.

In fairness, the video looks to have been taken with a cell phone camera or something; it's possible the video's growl sounds different because the microphone couldn't pick up all of the sound - much the same phenomenon as using a small microphone to record the sound of thunder.

Or not.

If the bees are definitely gentle and non-aggressive, I would just ignore the growling. At least up until you start hearing the words "get out", or a giant hand made of bees emerges from the hive to grab at you or something.

Backyarder

· #14 · Jul 10, 2014

The video is pretty accurate. A very strange noise to be sure. I wasn't wearing a veil or gloves and never got a bump, cool as cucumbers. I swiped a frame of honey and they still didn't mind seem to notice, maybe its not growling, could be snoring.

crofter

· #15 · Jul 10, 2014

I have heard a similar sound a few years ago. Definitely from within the hive but I din't go looking. As near as I can describe it sounded like a drawn out "g-r-o-i-k" with long and irregular intervals between soundings. I have heard oak borers but this was much louder and not regular like a wood borers chomping.

It was not high pitched like piping but about the same volume.

CajunBee

· #16 · Jul 10, 2014

Harmonic resonance in certain frames when they are fanning.

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