If not bearding, what?

Aroc · April 23, 2019, 10:30:46 PM

Too cold to be bearding...60 deg f. 7:30 in the evening. Cloudy. Can?t imagine the population being that big to cause this. We were in it about 10 days ago. Things looked good at that time. Nine other hives at time I took the picture were all pretty quiet.

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jalentour · April 23, 2019, 10:35:23 PM

I'm pretty sure it's not bearding.
Too small of an entrance for the moment perhaps.

Aroc · April 23, 2019, 10:59:00 PM

Quote from: jvalentour on April 23, 2019, 10:35:23 PM
I'm pretty sure it's not bearding.
Too small of an entrance for the moment perhaps.

I thought that as well. It has three holes in the entrance, you just can?t see it plus there is another entrance above.

ed/La. · April 23, 2019, 11:24:42 PM

What does the inside look like?

BeeMaster2 · April 24, 2019, 06:28:01 AM

Did this hive have a lot of capped brood during the last inspection. What does it look like this morning. I would bet that they are all back inside.
Jim Altmiller

iddee · April 24, 2019, 07:53:37 AM

60 degrees at 7:30 AM? I would give them a minimum 3 in. X 1/2 inch entrance. They need to circulate the air.

Michael Bush · April 24, 2019, 08:26:25 AM

There are often bees on the outside.

http://bushfarms.com/beesfaqs.htm#bearding

Aroc · April 24, 2019, 10:44:21 AM

Quote from: sawdstmakr on April 24, 2019, 06:28:01 AM
Did this hive have a lot of capped brood during the last inspection. What does it look like this morning. I would bet that they are all back inside.
Jim Altmiller

Fair amount of capped brood. We reversed the brood boxes to allow her to move up. This morning they were inside.

Maybe add another box?

Aroc · April 24, 2019, 10:46:49 AM

Quote from: iddee on April 24, 2019, 07:53:37 AM
60 degrees at 7:30 AM? I would give them a minimum 3 in. X 1/2 inch entrance. They need to circulate the air.

Sorry. We?re in Montana. It was 60 at 7:30 in the evening. We are nowhere near high temps yet.

van from Arkansas · April 24, 2019, 10:54:53 AM

I have one hive doing the exact same thing, was heavily bearded yesterday with low 70f. Same hive bearded all last year. Just this one particular hive out of 14 likes the outdoors. I expect my bees to beard in hot summer, that is normal, but this one hive beards in April when cool???

I thought lack of ventilation, so I added upper vent hole, made no difference. I don?t know why. The bees just like to hang outside with this one hive. Does not seem to hurt anything.

The hive will be requeened soon so time will tell.

Michael Bush · April 24, 2019, 11:18:57 AM

It's a sign the hive is pretty strong. When it's warmer a strong hive will have a lot more bees on the outside. Sometimes completely covering the front of the hive and hanging down like a swarm.