Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: Ben Framed on August 04, 2022, 02:59:13 pm
-
I have read several 'theories' of why honeybees may washboard. Last I heard nothing concrete on the matter had been resolved. Has any research thus far 'revealed' the reason/reasons why honeybees washboard?
Phillip
-
Bees are working out/Calisthenics. They don?t have gym membership. 😆
I think they are cleaning the area.
Jim Altmiller
-
I found this on Honey Bee Suite:
Katie Bohrer and Jeffrey Pettis of the USDA-ARS Bee Research Lab studied washboarding bees and discovered a number of things.
The washboarders were all worker bees.
They started washboarding at 13 days old.
The peak amount of washboarding occurred in workers between 15-25 days old.
Washboarding increased from about 8 a.m. to about 2 p.m. and then remained constant to as late as 9 p.m.
When given three different surfaces, the washboarding increased as the surface became more textured. Slate produced the most washboarding, followed by unpainted wood, and then glass. The surface-type data, however, did not produce statistically significant results.
The statement I find most interesting is the peak washboarding age. When I cross-reference that age group with the worker jobs chart in Mark Winston's bee biology book, that means that washboarders are mostly NOT of foraging age. The mean (average) age of a first foraging trip is 23 days. That makes me question the idea that washboarding is a job that only occurs when the bees have nothing else to do, i.e. when there is no flow, since the foragers are not the ones washboarding predominantly.
-
Bees are working out/Calisthenics. They don?t have gym membership. 😆
I think they are cleaning the area.
Jim Altmiller
> Bees are working out/Calisthenics. They don?t have gym membership. 😆
Haa haa :cheesy: why not? lol :grin: I like it Jim..
The15thMember
The statement I find most interesting is the peak washboarding age. When I cross-reference that age group with the worker jobs chart in Mark Winston's bee biology book, that means that washboarders are mostly NOT of foraging age. The mean (average) age of a first foraging trip is 23 days. That makes me question the idea that washboarding is a job that only occurs when the bees have nothing else to do, i.e. when there is no flow, since the foragers are not the ones washboarding predominantly.
You reasoning seems sound to me Reagan. Good research :cool: as always!
Phillip
-
I don't remember seeing washboarding in a dearth.
-
I found this interesting article on Bee Culture concerning the matter from October 31, 2018
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjZz6XOh7D5AhVjomoFHXjeATc4ChAWegQIAhAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.beeculture.com%2Fbeeyard-thoughts-observations-and-updates-7%2F&usg=AOvVaw0rP_cUyxRsobNAQUdK1xVP
-
Michael,
We are right in the middle of our middle Georgia, mid-summer dearth, and they are washing away.
Sometimes they seem so evenly spaced between themselves, it looks like a regimented marching band, moving up and down, up and down...
-
I feel shorted. In all my years walking around small hives and absolutely massive hives I cannot say that I have ever seen rows-N-rows of bees washboarding. Maybe 10-20 bees observed here or there when really looking hard for them, but even then rarely. I never have real life seen the dance troops portrayed in pictures or described in articles. What am I doing wrong? How do I get my bees to washboard properly?
-
I feel shorted. In all my years walking around small hives and absolutely massive hives I cannot say that I have ever seen rows-N-rows of bees washboarding. Maybe 10-20 bees observed here or there when really looking hard for them, but even then rarely. I never have real life seen the dance troops portrayed in pictures or described in articles. What am I doing wrong? How do I get my bees to washboard properly?
Mr HoneyPump,
Could it be location along with conditions associated with location? Bob is in the hot Deep South, while of corse, you are in the Far North. (I do not know really), 🤷 just a guess in an attempt to help answer your questions.
Who knows, perhaps this you have brought to light may be a clue to help unfold the mysterious questions of washboarding?
Phillip
-
HoneyPump
Its all about the music. I pipe marching band tunes out to speakers near by for their listening pleasure. Doesn't everyone? :wink:
I will count them later today.
-
Mr HoneyPump,
Could it be location along with conditions associated with location? Bob is in the hot Deep South, while of corse, you are in the Far North. (I do not know really), 🤷 just a guess in an attempt to help answer your questions.
Who knows, perhaps this you have brought to light may be a clue to help unfold the mysterious questions of washboarding?
Phillip
HoneyPump
Its all about the music. I pipe marching band tunes out to speakers near by for their listening pleasure. Doesn't everyone? :wink:
I will count them later today.
Well: I guess that theory is shot in the foot! :shocked: :grin: :cheesy:
Thanks for the clarifying explanation Bob! :wink: lol :grin:
Phillip
-
Mr HoneyPump,
Could it be location along with conditions associated with location? Bob is in the hot Deep South, while of corse, you are in the Far North. (I do not know really), 🤷 just a guess in an attempt to help answer your questions.
Who knows, perhaps this you have brought to light may be a clue to help unfold the mysterious questions of washboarding?
Phillip
HoneyPump
Its all about the music. I pipe marching band tunes out to speakers near by for their listening pleasure. Doesn't everyone? :wink:
I will count them later today.
Well: I guess that theory is shot in the foot! :shocked: :grin: :cheesy:
Thanks for the clarifying explanation Bob! :wink: lol :grin:
Phillip
:cheesy: Try bagpipes. Works every time.
I often have a few bees washboarding, but whenever I've seen the really high quality rank and file washboarding, it's usually been in conjunction with bearding for me, or at least, I've seen it around dusk in the summer, when there are bees hanging around on the porch, so I assumed the behavior was related to bearding.