Hey Friends,
Just got back from a week away. It’s 7:30am (61F. 16C.)and here’s what is happening at the hive entrance. Also, the flow frame I can see through the window is about half-full. I installed a nuc May 9. Is this swarming behavior?
Cordially,
Mike Gatliff
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No, I don’t think so. It’s just hanging out enjoying the cool!
I think you’re right - either that or dealing with a threat to the hive. They had dispersed after 30 minutes. Thanks!
It looks like pictures of bearding that I have seen other’s post on this forum. Here is a link to a good article I found regarding bearding. Hope it helps.
They could be washboarding too, but without video, it is difficult to tell. Not swarming, and not really enough for bearding, but maybe they are the early birds (bees) and a real beard will build up later.
One of my hives was doing this yesterday…first 80 degree day of the year. It was also the more robust (population-wise) hive of my two. When I went inside to inspect, it also turned out that the bees had happily drawn out all of the foundationless frames in the brood box, had filled a large percentage with pollen/nectar/brood, and were covering all the frames. So I added a new box to the top…no signs of swarm cells, but it seemed like the right time.
Thanks for the lesson @Dawn_SD. Gave me another subject to read more up on.
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Hot day, lots of bees outside.
Hi all,
I’ll add my cents cents worth ! 
. Nope ! Mine do that a lot … And they’re Happy Camper mostly.
Ta ta,
Gerald.
Thanks, friends. As a novice I appreciate very much the opportunity to ask a question and get immediate responses.
Swarming is when a mass of bees gush out of the hive and swirl around in a cloud…quite facinating…then they start to land somewhere in a cluster…if the queen did not come with them they will begin to reenter the hive…but expect them to swarm again very soon…