Girls chewing around entrance?

rookie2531 · August 07, 2014, 12:12:59 PM

I heard what sounds like the girls gnawing around the entrance. Do they chew on wood? It is a nuc with a 1.5" wide by 3/8" tall entrance. They are 4 frames strong with a queen that has only open brood at the moment.

Santa Caras · August 07, 2014, 02:49:16 PM

Common to every hive. I think it's called "washboarding" cuz you'll see em all lined up and its like their line dancing. Looks to me like they are cleaning the area in front of the entrance. As we sweep our front porch, they'e cleaning theirs too. After awhile you can tell the diffrence. The area right in front will be all shiney and clean.....and you'll see the dirt build up where they dont.

SCPossum · August 07, 2014, 11:42:27 PM

Like a snap crackle and pop sound? I am being to that is what they sound like when building comb.

rookie2531 · August 09, 2014, 06:51:15 AM

Like a scratching sound and they all look like they are biting at it. Even around the top of the opening and sides. Just around the entrance, nowhere else. And I mean just there at the thickness part of the entrance. Do bees adjust there entrances?

BeeMaster2 · August 09, 2014, 07:21:39 AM

Quote from: Santa Caras on August 07, 2014, 02:49:16 PM
Common to every hive. I think it's called "washboarding" cuz you'll see em all lined up and its like their line dancing. Looks to me like they are cleaning the area in front of the entrance. As we sweep our front porch, they'e cleaning theirs too. After awhile you can tell the diffrence. The area right in front will be all shiney and clean.....and you'll see the dirt build up where they dont.

Santa,
Wash boarding is the back and forth motion as you described. But it is not the wood chewing.
Your bees will chew on the wood and change the size of the opening.
Jim

BeeMaster2 · August 09, 2014, 07:24:10 AM

Quote from: SCPossum on August 07, 2014, 11:42:27 PM
Like a snap crackle and pop sound? I am being to that is what they sound like when building comb.

Only if they are shaping the area where they are going to attach the comb which as far as I know they do not do.
Jim

BeeMaster2 · August 09, 2014, 07:31:15 AM

Quote from: rookie2531 on August 09, 2014, 06:51:15 AM
Like a scratching sound and they all look like they are biting at it. Even around the top of the opening and sides. Just around the entrance, nowhere else. And I mean just there at the thickness part of the entrance. Do bees adjust there entrances?

I keep entrance reducers on my hives all the time. Some of the bees have opened up the size of the enrtance by cutting through the rest of the slot that is cut but turned sideways to block them. They definitely chew on wood and cut it.
Jim

capt44 · August 09, 2014, 12:14:22 PM

I've noticed them chewing on the flower pot swarm traps.
I filled 3 of the drain holes with foam and left one open for an entrance.
I hung one up on the end of my wood shop and they have made the entrance big enough to slip a tennis ball in.

jayj200 · August 10, 2014, 12:18:03 PM

One of my hives didn't like the entrance reducer.
It was chewed up wasn't 1 inch any more