I was just up in my apiary watching my bees and one of the hives was using the vertical surface of their mouse guard as the waggle dance floor! I was very surprised, as I figured this was something they would only do inside the hive. All the usual behaviors were accompanying the dancers. One bee was doing a short but quite vigorous circle dance, and another bee was doing a figure 8 dance, which the other workers weren't much interested in. The one doing the circle dance had a crowd of bees all around her, almost like she was a queen, and every couple minutes she'd pause her dance they they'd mob her for a free sample. Has anyone else ever seen waggle dancing on the outside of a hive like this before?
Member,
I have seen the waggle dance on the outside of swarms and on the front of hives. I see them on the front of the hives when there are a lot of bees one the front and the nurse bees are collecting nectar from the field bees out front, usually during a good flow. The next time you see a swarm look closely and you will see bees dancing.
Jim Altmiller
Quote from: BeeMaster2 on November 20, 2021, 07:21:38 PM
Member,
I have seen the waggle dance on the outside of swarms and on the front of hives. I see them on the front of the hives when there are a lot of bees one the front and the nurse bees are collecting nectar from the field bees out front, usually during a good flow. The next time you see a swarm look closely and you will see bees dancing.
Jim Altmiller
I have heard about swarms dancing to find a new nest site, although I have never seen it. It's funny that you mention seeing dancing on the hive face during a good flow, because my is flow over. This hive is very full though, so maybe the dancing just spilled out into the street! :cheesy: