# My hive keeps "bearding" -- Cause for concern?



## NC-Bee-Dude (Jun 20, 2009)

Question for the experts.

For the last few nights, I noticed my hive with a nice gathering of bees in the front. Last night it was what you see in the picture. This morning they were gone, but by lunchtime they were back on the front again. The temperature here today is 90 degrees and humid, last night it was 70 and humid.

This colony has about five frames filled (out of a 10-frame hive) with brood, nectar and for the last two week, making honey at a good pace. I have the second deep box on the top to cover the two gallon hive-top feeder (I got this small colony in June and virtually brought them back to life).

I put popcicle stick risers under the hive-top feeder to make ventilation space for them. But I am still concerned that they're bearding because they're too hot in the box. I know its not because they're crowded, when I check them, they're mainly on the center frames with lots of room to work out to the outer frames.

What would you recommend? I am afraid they may abscond because of they're too hot, but others tell me to just leave them alone, they know what they're doing.

Your advice?


----------



## dragonfly (Jun 18, 2002)

If there are no signs of preparation for swarming, and there's plenty of room inside the hive, I would leave them alone, but you could prop the top to allow more air flow if desired.


----------



## NC-Bee-Dude (Jun 20, 2009)

Thanks. I just went out and checked. With the gap I made using the popcicle stick risers, I can just see the tops of the frames in the brood chamber. So some air should be circulating inside.

And I noticed that the ones hanging on the front are fanning their wings at the entrance.

The wind got up just a little bit ago and they've all disappeared again. I am assuming they're out foraging around. Theres a constant stream of coming and going...but with this hanging on the front of the hive, I am afraid they'll go...and not come back! :doh:


----------



## WayneW (Jul 17, 2008)

NC-Bee-Dude said:


> Theres a constant stream of coming and going...but with this hanging on the front of the hive, I am afraid they'll go...and not come back! :doh:


Not to worry, with the heat and humidity they will fan the entrance and beard quite a bit. You have given them the ventilation they need, now let them do what they do........make honey and keep you occupied for years wondering whats going on in their heads.


----------



## Brent Bean (Jun 30, 2005)

The bearding you show in the picture really isn’t a problem I have seen the entire shaded side of a hive covered on a really hot day. One thing you might want to consider . Screen bottom boards. During hot weather you can pull the tray and it greatly improves air flow. Another good piece of equipment is a slatted rack this simple device regulates air flow in both hot and cold weather provides a cluster area below the brood area and keeps pesky raccoon paws from reaching up and grabbing honey.


----------



## MichelinMan (Feb 18, 2008)

NC, I think your bees are probably telling you the nest is too warm. Your picture shows the hive resting on a concrete patio stone over some bricks over another patio stone. Cement is a great heat retainer. The sun is warming up all this concrete and it stays hot a long time. Try using a screened bottom board for better ventilation. Or put the hive on a wooden pallet.


----------



## beyondthesidewalks (Dec 1, 2007)

I'm assuming there's an inner cover under that telescoping cover and that it has a porter bee escape sized oblong hole in the center of it. If so, you can prop the front edge of the telescoping cover flush with the front of the inner cover. That will put a bigger space above the hole in the inner cover and bees will fan up through it. There will also be more bees hanging out under the telescoping cover instead of bearding. It will help them keep the hive cool and any rain will flow off the back of the telescoping cover instead of on your landing board. Your stone on top will keep it in place.

I always do this all summer long, especially during July and August, when we have the dog days of summer. I also cut a larger round hole in my inner covers that will receive a feeding jar. That larger hole will help the bees get more air through the inner cover and the hive cooler.

I don't think bearding equals swarming. A honey bound brood chamber and full hive equals swarming. You don't have that.


----------



## NC-Bee-Dude (Jun 20, 2009)

Thanks for the information, guys. I appreciate it.

Michelin, although you can't really tell, the bottom board has screws in the bottom to keep it from resting on the concrete pad. I did that to keep it from sitting in water when it rains, and to create a air flow. It works great for the water problem but doesn't work too well for air flow.

I called my local Dadant branch this morning (they're 45 minutes from me) and asked if I should consider screened bottom boards. They basically told me I could try it, but they didn't really see that it was a major problem, to wait it out and see if the problem gets worse.

Another suggestion (a freebie...I love freebies) was to take popcicle sticks and to put them between the bottom board and the brood box to make an air flow at the bottom to match the one I made around the hive top feeder, then take them out when the weather turns cooler this fall. I hear that's a trick of old-time beekeepers...plus it gives you more reason to eat more popcicles in hot weather.

I am always open for suggestions and appreciate all your input. Keep it coming, guys! opcorn:


----------



## Joseph Clemens (Feb 12, 2005)

NC-Bee-Dude,
Last year most of my hives and Nucs looked like this, or worse. This year, our early Mesquite honeyflow was weak, but we had a few strong Summer rains and the Mesquite has begun a second flow, now many hives and Nucs are quickly looking like this again. It warms my heart to see my colonies so populous that many decide to spend the night on the outside of the hives.


----------



## wannabeekeeper (Jun 17, 2009)

I was so happy to read that this is normal in hot weather. We are having 100+ temps this week ( 106 today) and my bees are also bearding. They get morning sun but are in the shade by 2 in the afternoon. We did the popsicle stick thing on one hive last night, the one with the most bees on the front, the other looked pretty good.


----------



## NC-Bee-Dude (Jun 20, 2009)

Joseph Clemens said:


> NC-Bee-Dude,
> Last year most of my hives and Nucs looked like this, or worse. This year, our early Mesquite honeyflow was weak, but we had a few strong Summer rains and the Mesquite has begun a second flow, now many hives and Nucs are quickly looking like this again. It warms my heart to see my colonies so populous that many decide to spend the night on the outside of the hives.


Joseph: I have to admit, if I found my hive like that, I would have FREAKED out!  The more I'm hearing, the more I'm seeing that it isn't unusual, and with your pictures, I can see it even more now. The picture I posted at the beginning of this post has been the same for the last couple of days and nights. But I really appreciate your posting of the pictures. What a sight! 



wannabeekeeper said:


> I was so happy to read that this is normal in hot weather. We are having 100+ temps this week ( 106 today) and my bees are also bearding. They get morning sun but are in the shade by 2 in the afternoon. We did the popsicle stick thing on one hive last night, the one with the most bees on the front, the other looked pretty good.


Hey Wanna: Good luck with the popcicle stick idea. I can just barely see the tops of the frames (under the top feeder) and so I know some air is flowing through there, and I might try to put a few between the bottom board and the brood box for another air flow, then remove them when the weather cools down. Let me know if it works for the box you have that's hot. I am interested in seeing if it works for others.

Mark


----------



## Jer733 (Oct 5, 2008)

I too had some bearding a few weeks ago in 100+ weather.

These were on the outside of a Top Bar Hive that has a screened bottom.

Hang out in late PM and evening, gone by sunup.


----------



## Joseph Clemens (Feb 12, 2005)

All my hives have screened bottoms but not entrances; my entrances are higher up on the hives, and this one has entrances created by sliding each upper box back about 3/8".


----------



## BeeHave (Jul 24, 2009)

I was wondering about all this as well and I am grateful for all the great advice. The temps here have been HOT and HUMID as well (Central California) and my new bees are bearding quite abit. Fascinating how they wiggle and fan to keep things right in the hive. They are geniuses!
Ms BeeHave


----------



## HoneyMaple (May 23, 2008)

I have a hive (8 frame mediums) that is 7 mediums high and is already on a screened bottom board, fully open, no board in it. It was doing some moderate bearding, probably 5 times the ammount of bees that are in the first pics but nowhere near the ammount that Joseph Clemens shows in his. As an experiment I built one of the all season inner covers ( Honey Run Apiaries) and put it on. While the bearding did not stop, it was greatly reduced.

Just a note though: I put a 2 and 7/8 inch round hole in the center instead of the square hole in the plans. 

After watching this hive for a week or so, I have not seen the level of bearding come even close to what it was. 

I don't think that this is a universal fix for bearding. Howerver, In this case, on this particular hive I believe that it helped. And I may make a few more of these for some other hives that are approaching the strength of this one.


----------



## BeeHave (Jul 24, 2009)

Thank you for your tips and how it;'s working for you. I think I'm going to go buy some popsicle sticks today and put them in between the upper hive and the honey super and see how that works out. 
Ms. BeeHave


----------



## Tom G. Laury (May 24, 2008)

On my own bees: If they are NOT bearding it is a cause for concern.


----------

