What does this behavior mean?

[livz2hunt]

What does it mean when the bees are lined up all facing the same direction rocking forwards and backwards with their beaks to the board doing a plowing action. It reminds me of the way a pig roots in the mud.
    Instead of being out foraging, there might be 50-75 bees lined up on the landing board or on the side of the hive all facing the hive entrance doing this motion while workers are flying in and out of the hive and just going around these bees that I speak of.

[iddee]

It's called washboarding and is a common sight.

What it means is the bees still have man so confused, he doesn't know whether he's coming or going when it comes to the mighty honeybee.  :?   :-D

[heaflaw]

I once heard that question asked to a researcher from USDA bee lab in Beltsville, Md.  He said no one even had a good theory as to why they do it.

[theriverhawk]

I saw virtually the same thing in a hive yesterday.  Filmed it with my Blackberry.  Bees just perched on the landing, walking around a little, tails up, looking like they are licking the landing.  From a distance, I thought they may have been fanning but not a wing was flapping when I looked closer. 

[JP]

I saw virtually the same thing in a hive yesterday.  Filmed it with my Blackberry.  Bees just perched on the landing, walking around a little, tails up, looking like they are licking the landing.  From a distance, I thought they may have been fanning but not a wing was flapping when I looked closer. 

The ones with their tails up were orienting.

Washboarding? Bees dancing. 123, 123, 123...or rather 1,2...1,2...1,2


...JP

[Brian D. Bray]

I once heard that question asked to a researcher from USDA bee lab in Beltsville, Md.  He said no one even had a good theory as to why they do it.

Airconditioning.  They have to "washboard" in order to redirect the air flow into the hive from the prevailing winds.