[TJC1]

I just released a new queen (she had been in the hive in cage for 3 days and they had not released her) into a queenless hive with a very small cluster, and added a frame of BIAS from another hive. When I put my ear to the hive afterwards, I almost jumped! There was the strangest - very LOUD - low-pitched stuttering buzz coming from the hive. Never heard anything like it - any thoughts? It was not being made by a group of bees, sounded like just one. Hope it wasn't the queen being attacked...

 

[Fivej]

Queens make a piping noise, usually when they are emerging from a cell. Sure you didn't have a QC in there? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVEyJjZKHqs

 

[crofter]

I dont know how you would search it up but i think there was a conversation about bees shaking comb. I have heard a noise occasionally that I could not explain. To me it sounded like an extended burrrrrrp. Quite loud and yet very low frequency. I can't imagine how a bee could produce the energy to make it. I think one suggestion was a means of harrassing a queen. Definitely much different than piping.

 

[TJC1]

I dont know how you would search it up but i think there was a conversation about bees shaking comb. I have heard a noise occasionally that I could not explain. To me it sounded like an extended burrrrrrp. Quite loud and yet very low frequency. I can't imagine how a bee could produce the energy to make it. I think one suggestion was a means of harrassing a queen. Definitely much different than piping.

Yes, this is it exactly - definitely not piping which I am familiar with. Not happy to hear that it might be a 'harrassing the queen' sound!

 

[Nelsonhoneyfarms]

I dont know how you would search it up but i think there was a conversation about bees shaking comb. I have heard a noise occasionally that I could not explain. To me it sounded like an extended burrrrrrp. Quite loud and yet very low frequency. I can't imagine how a bee could produce the energy to make it. I think one suggestion was a means of harrassing a queen. Definitely much different than piping.

I’ve heard this low freq burp sound (almost sounds like a low thumping/burping) too. I was told that it was the queen. However, last year I had the hive open and the queen was in one box and the noise you’re describing was coming from the other (queenless) box.

 

[crofter]

I didnt connect it with any problems in the hive; I just seem to remember it was suggested it might have been sending a message to the queen to get off her big butt or something.

 

[JWPalmer]

I learned at a seminar that certain bees will grab another bee and shake them violently as a means of "encouraging" them to get to work. Perhaps that was the sound you heard.

 

[ffrtsaxk]

The shaking signal that bees use to encourage each other to work doesn't typically make a sound that we can hear. The shaking and pushing of the queens doesn't make a noise we can hear either. They do make a really weird noise to initiate a forced grooming of the queen. Workers do also on occasion make a piping sound. They also make other noised on occasion. One noise they make isn't on purpose but might be what you are referring to. When they are fanning they normally don't make a noise, but on occasion their wings will be hitting a surface inside the hive just right and it will make a clear noise loud enough that I can hear it while sitting at my desk with my observation hive about 12 feet behind me with the insulated panels on it.

 

[TJC1]

This was the loudest sound by far that I have ever heard in a hive - much louder than piping and at a way lower pitch, such that it could be said to sound like a growl. It repeated in a stuttering kind of way, would stop briefly and then start again. I went back after 45 minutes and could still hear it though not as loud. It could be that the first time the bee was right next to the side of the box where I had my ear. I did not hear the noise being made by any more than one bee, at least not at the same time. Sounded like the one bee as the position did not shift, or seem to move closer or farther away. I'll keep you posted on developments.

 

[TJC1]

Someone mentioned to me that could be a drone that got stuck between a frame or something similar. A drone makes sense as it was so low and loud. Today all is humming along quietly in this hive - hopefully all is now well, whatever it was.