# bearding advice



## imthegrumpyone (Jun 29, 2013)

3 month old hive, little testy the last 2 weeks. Went to check them this morning and closed it back up. The last 2 times I found the girls on top of the bars when I opened the roof. Went out a little while ago and found Them all crowded by The first and middle entrance holes, it's late afternoon and 90 outside. About the time I was going to go out and raise the roof for a little for more ventilation there was quiet more girls flying around so I figured I'll wait till they settle down a bit. Being "new" to keeping bees I thought I'd ask for some advice. Sooner or later I'll get the hang of this, I kind of new it wouldn't be smooth sailing. :scratch:


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## ken rice (Apr 28, 2010)

Do you have an entrance reducer on?


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## imthegrumpyone (Jun 29, 2013)

No entrance reducer, I have 3 side entrances but only 1 open one on the end, that's were they started to build. They went left to right and doing so made the entrance on the end backed up all the time. This morning when I was going to check the hive, I again found bees on the top of bars on far left side, so sense they've built half of the hive, I thought I'd open up the middle entrance for them, take some of the crowding off the far left entrance and maybe give them a little more ventilation. It doesn't set directly in the sun, there's some shade and it's only 90 outside, so I can't figure.


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## Chemguy (Nov 26, 2012)

I have routinely seen bearding on the outside of the hive when nighttime temps are above 65. There are one or two1-3/4"entrances in all of my supers, in addition to the main entrance at the base. I thought that tonight would be a good time to make that final pass with the mower, right in front of the hives. Turns out, I was wrong. They'll have me trained sooner or later.


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## jbeshearse (Oct 7, 2009)

imthegrumpyone said:


> 3 month old hive, little testy the last 2 weeks. Went to check them this morning and closed it back up. The last 2 times I found the girls on top of the bars when I opened the roof. Went out a little while ago and found Them all crowded by The first and middle entrance holes, it's late afternoon and 90 outside. About the time I was going to go out and raise the roof for a little for more ventilation there was quiet more girls flying around so I figured I'll wait till they settle down a bit. Being "new" to keeping bees I thought I'd ask for some advice. Sooner or later I'll get the hang of this, I kind of new it wouldn't be smooth sailing. :scratch:


Bearding in my Apiary last July:








https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/7673538798/

Or if you prefer, my Top Bar bearding last july.







https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/7265279130/


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## Snookie (Dec 13, 2013)

Groovy......After seeing those bearding pics I feel better now:}

Thought it was something I was doing wrong like giving them not enough space:}


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## imthegrumpyone (Jun 29, 2013)

Don't know what I did, but I seemed to have gotten them pissed off at me. I went out again to raise the roof cover to give them more ventilation, was going to put a small piece of pipe wrap on the front end of it to raise it up a notch, didn't work got hit 6 times, walked back to the house and they followed, went out the side gate and they followed me right out to the street. I've never had this problem, all ways been able to be around the hive, look in the window, look around the back and watch them go in and out entrance. Wife runs the lawnmower and does the gardening and has never been bothered till just now, about 3 chased her back in the house, and had about 6 hovering around me again. This isn't going to fly I've got grand kids over here now and then. Any suggestions ?


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## chris_nelson123 (Feb 26, 2014)

You might want to think about requeening.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

grumpy1, r u using a top bar hive?

Suggestions? Yeah. You are going to have to move this hive far away from your family.


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## imthegrumpyone (Jun 29, 2013)

chris > this just started 2 days ago, no sign of any critters bothering them. It makes no sense to me. sqkcrk> Yes it's a TBH, small back yard, moving would more than likely do nothing. Haven't been out there today yet, so don't know there mood yet today. Be new wish I had someone in the area that kept bees and could Take a look, but that's life. Wife is outside all the time, mowing, gardening, watering, never a problem till yesterday, got stung on the chin and carried another one back in the house. Reactions to bee stings don't go well with her.


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## garyprunty (Apr 15, 2014)

i don't know your seasons where you are but they might be in a dearth
you have to think about why they're testy

how did you start the hive? a package?


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## imthegrumpyone (Jun 29, 2013)

garyprunty > yes a package 1st week of April going strong, plenty of new brood hatching, didn't count combs the other day but I believe there's 16 that's only 9 weeks. Went to check last week and were testy and closed them back up, same thing 2 days ago, and then got 6 times. Wife was in a corner of the yard maybe 40 ft. from the hive when one got her on the chin, she's been in the yard a couple times today while I stood "guard" and they never bothered her, but poor girl's chin still red form getting hit yesterday. There change seems to have been all most overnight.


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## txbeek (May 21, 2013)

There is something going on. Are you sure they are queenright? But they may have been taken over by an africanized queen and her army. Had that happen to my first hive.

If its a dearth, try feeding them some 1:1 sugar syrup. Put it in a ziplock bag and lay it flat on something close to hive, then cut a few slits with a razor blade. If they suck it down, but they calm down, that was it. Feed until they stop taking it. 

I dont have "roofs" so to speak on my hives. I just use a piece or 2 of plastic cardboard held down with a brick or 2. They may be getting hot and testy with a more substantial roof. Do they have a good water supply to cool the hive?

Just brainstorming. If you were closer I would come take a look.


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## Striider (Apr 21, 2014)

Yup - get rid of that queen. The second they hit your wife, the queen of that hive would have been in trouble in my book. One queenie to rule them all


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## imthegrumpyone (Jun 29, 2013)

Well I'm going to leave them alone for a couple more days, then go out Friday morning and check. Wife went out and cut lawn before I got home from work this morning, no problems what so ever, not one bothered her. I just went out and filled up the bird feeder with water for them, as I did had one take a drink, maybe cooling off the hive, not one gave me a second look. Still can't find a bee keep any where around me, was hoping to get some on hand on the seen help, will keep looking. I did stop by local bee keeping on the way home selling his honey, told him the story. We couldn't figure out any thing. He said there use to be 3 of them around, now he's the only one, told him I'd wait a few more days to go back in. He's busy works them 7 days a week for his honey stand. I think I could talk him in to looking in them with me if he gets a slow day and has some time on his hands. By the way, I'm looking at thermometer inside the house, says 95 which means it's 105 at least outside, they've got to be a little "warm" you would think.


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## dynemd (Aug 27, 2013)

"There are a few rules of thumb that are useful guides. One is that when you are confronted with some problem in the apiary and you do not know what to do, then do nothing. Matters are seldom made worse by doing nothing and are often made much worse by inept intervention." --The How-To-Do-It book of Beekeeping, Richard Taylor Courtesy Michael Bush' website


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## Dakota (Apr 26, 2014)

I know my girls get a bit on the stingy side when the yellow jackets are around. . . That's the only time I've ever been chased into the house (and stung right on my nose). Usually, my hive is quite docile, and I frequently sit in the dirt right next to them and watch without ever having an issue. But when I see yellow jackets, I keep my distance (which isn't often, thank goodness).


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