# How are they making that clicking noise?



## JWG (Jun 25, 2004)

"Sounds" as if they are chewing. It commonly sounds like a quiet ticking. They may be gnawing at some of the wood inside the hive. Sometimes you can hear it outside.


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## Lisa_in_GA (Mar 28, 2006)

Should I be worried that they are chewing on the hive? Are they out of stores? The hive isn't as heavy as it was in the fall, but it's by no means light yet.


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## JWG (Jun 25, 2004)

No, don't worry about it. And if there is still a good amount of weight to the hive it is unlikely there is any food shortage. If you want to make extra sure, open the lid on a calm day, even if it's cold, and see where the cluster is. Peer down between the top bars, and there is capped honey at the cluster, or adjacent to it, they are fine.

Funny -- I had a colony this year that I noticed making that noise every night for weeks. It could be heard from a foot or more away. I wondered what they were up to, but never found any damage to the hive interior. Maybe they were just bored, or had OCD.


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## power napper (Apr 2, 2005)

Just for a humor moment--maybe the bees are chewing varoa.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Click Beetles, perhaps?


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## Alex Cantacuzene (May 29, 2003)

Hello Lisa et al, this theme has been discussed several times before some time ago and to date I have never heard a satisfactory answer. I was told that it was queen "piping" but this sound I can not describe as piping. The best way that I can demonstrate it is by flicking a finger nail against an empty aluminum drink can and I thought it also sounds like they are opening and closing little doors. Well, I have a theory. The sound comes from bee larva that are just about to hatch. Why? I still don't know why but somewhere I read about some ant species that have larvae that flex their body and produce a clicking sound. Maybe bee larva do the same thing. In any case, I never found any bad effects from this clicking. Take care and have fun.

[ December 29, 2006, 08:20 AM: Message edited by: Alex Cantacuzene ]


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## Dave W (Aug 3, 2002)

Alex Cantacuzene et al . . .

When (time of year and time of day) do you hear the clicking?

How long does it last? (minutes, hours, days)

How many times have you hear it?


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## NW IN Beekeeper (Jun 29, 2005)

You aren't maybe hearing them dropping on the screened/solid bottom board, are you?


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## Alex Cantacuzene (May 29, 2003)

Hello Dave et al, the clicking sound at our hives was heard late summer. This year it was at times so loud that it could be heard about four feet away from the boxes. Most of the time I would hear it when listening with the ear against the side of the boxes as I think I can tell from the general sound how happy the hive is, just my imagination, but...
I never really paid attention to the time span of this activity but will next chance I get. At least now I know that someone else has heard it and I am not imagining things. Take care and have fun


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## Dee (Apr 22, 2004)

OMG this is exactly what I've been listening to for the past few weeks!!! This clicking noise - I describe it as fingernails rapidly tapping the tabletop or even the sound of rain. I too heard one of my colonies about 2 feet or more away I thought maybe it was a happy noise since they've been cooped up in the hive all winter? I've noticed that they only do it when it's warmer out (between 40-50F), but as for the length of time I'm not too sure. It was about 5 pm every time that I've heard it and by 7 pm they had stopped. Almost all 6 of my hives were making this noise today, not nearly as loud though. I've tried to tape the sound but by the time I got the camera and charged batteries they were winding down. I'm going to keep an ear out for it again.


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