what does it mean?

[hiptfarms]

I have seen bees holding each others legs forming a chain with their bodies.  what does this mean?  The hive was doing very well two weeks ago and then they were almost totally wiped out.  I opened the hive and there were thousands of dead bees on the bottom board.  Fireants had killed all the brood and were killing the remaining bees.  I took the hive apart and am trying to firgure out if it can be saved.  

There was a small cluster of bees on a couple frames so I put them in a small super and placed it at the same height and location where the original hive was - having moved the ant-infested hive and treated the ground for them. ( I covered the treated ground with cardboard so the bees would not come in contact with the insecticide.) Anyway, it was that small cluster that was "holding hands" so to speak.  I feel certain that this means something.  Any suggestions?  I obviously am not very versed in what I am doing with these bees so any help is appreciated.

[Kris^]

It was probably the bees "festooning."  They do this usually when they are drawing comb, using their bodies to measure the size they want.  I usually see it when I pull a foundationless frame and they're in the process of filling it out.

-- Kris

[Apis629]

You also see a whole lot of festooning in TBHs.

[Hi-Tech]

I know that this is off topic but I couldn't help it....

Robert7355, As an avid Stephen King fan, every time I see your avitar, I wet my pants!  

That was the clown from the movie "IT" which was not near as scary as the book....

[Apis629]

You might want to consult your doctar about the sudden loss of controll of your bladdar with the stimuli of a clown. :lol:

[Hi-Tech]

We all gotta be scared of something...

[Brian D. Bray]

The hang that way when swarming also.  Unless you have a queen trying to make them something is a waste of time.  Just combine whats left with another hive so you can get some use out of them.

[Michael Bush]

>I have seen bees holding each others legs forming a chain with their bodies. what does this mean?

It's what they do to draw comb.  It's what they do to fill gaps in the brood nest.  It's what they do when they swarm and cluster on a tree.  Bees festoon often.

>There was a small cluster of bees on a couple frames so I put them in a small super and placed it at the same height and location where the original hive was - having moved the ant-infested hive and treated the ground for them. ( I covered the treated ground with cardboard so the bees would not come in contact with the insecticide.) Anyway, it was that small cluster that was "holding hands" so to speak. I feel certain that this means something.

It's what clusters of bees do.  It's how they make a cluster.

>Any suggestions? I obviously am not very versed in what I am doing with these bees so any help is appreciated.

Hunt down the ant hill and put jelly mixed with borax (1:1) on the mound.

[hiptfarms]

Those ants are FIREANTS.   Do you guys have them in NE?  They are incredible if you aren't familiar with them.  They are the nuclear attack version of standard ants with bites that leave large pustules as a reminder of their visits.  They seem to attack in unision and take n prisioners!  I hope you don't ever have the distinct displeasure of having to deal with them.   It takes a lot to manage them and is almost impossible to eradicate them.  I just try to keep the ones closest to my hives and in my pastures to a minimum.

[Michael Bush]

>Those ants are FIREANTS. Do you guys have them in NE?

There is something in Western Nebraska that people call that, but I don't think they really are.  But they are pretty destructive.

>It takes a lot to manage them and is almost impossible to eradicate them. I just try to keep the ones closest to my hives and in my pastures to a minimum.

Have you tried borax and jelly on them?