Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: Bob Wilson on February 06, 2020, 11:44:08 pm
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It was raining today and although my bees always hole up, they were still going in and out. It wasn't sprinkling, but real rain. Dark grey overcast and steady for the day.
Also, other bees were sniffing around my shed as if scouting, but when I moved a baited trap there, they flew around it, ignoring it. Then I noticed they were drinking from the wet concrete under the shed roof. But then why sniff around the walls and door?
https://youtu.be/pEy3anUrLpY
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Bob I have been waiting for someone more experienced to answer, I will post a theory. It is warm enough for them to fly or they would not be flying. I am interested in what you temp was there today for my learning sake. This added information will be appreciated. The first thing that comes to mind for me is iddees topic, "The Bee's spring" This is the time of year when bees are or should be hard at raising brood in your area, a large amount of resources are necessary for the bees to accomplish this, (Pollen and Nectar). I wonder if they are in a deperrate mode of trying to fill the order for necessary provisions? Even to the point of searching out in the rain? Bob does this sound reasonable? You may need to check this out asap. Again read iddees topic. much good stuff there. This theory may not be correct, there are others here that may chime in and giving you better answers.
Phillip
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They are just checking for something quick, plus they are curious. If I leave my garage open with a dull rainy day my girls will come in to say hi and look for some honey b health by my shelf.
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Bob,
What type of bees do you have?
I suspect they are Carnolians. Some species are more prone to fly in rainy weather than others. Most of the bees will bee your scout bees. They know the area well enough to fly by landmarks and do not need a blue sky to navigate.
Jim Altmiller
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Jim. I don't know. It was a caught swarm last March, and I thought they were carnies, but the queen was solid gold, and the bees seemed to become more yellow/gold as the summer progressed. However, I opened the hive a bit last week, and the hive was just full of smaller grey/black bees. I am foundationless. I wonder if they requeened themselves late last year.
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Yellow gold bee to grey black small bees is almost guaranteed a requeening, by hive take over.
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Bees fly in the rain if it is warm enough. I doubt if it is a hive take over. Water is essential for life.
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Ace, yes Sir, see post #4. I was not saying hive take over in the video showing rain.., I was suggesting in the past when the color of the bees changed from yellow to grey/black as discussed in post #4.
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Ha Ha! I don't know what is going on here, in Alabama! The weather was in the 40's, but the sun was shining, and the little bees were hanging around my hardy cuttings, looking for water! I think they do that because the sunshine warms the thin layer of water, they sure aren't around the tubs I keep for them. Their little bodies get very cold, very fast, drinking cold water.