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Author Topic: Bees acting strange, or newbee ignorance?  (Read 1288 times)

Offline Bob Wilson

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Bees acting strange, or newbee ignorance?
« on: February 06, 2020, 11:44:08 pm »
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

Online Ben Framed

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Re: Bees acting strange, or newbee ignorance?
« Reply #1 on: February 07, 2020, 12:43:19 am »
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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« Last Edit: February 07, 2020, 12:56:06 pm by Ben Framed »
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Offline jtcmedic

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Re: Bees acting strange, or newbee ignorance?
« Reply #2 on: February 07, 2020, 07:05:39 am »
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.

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Bees acting strange, or newbee ignorance?
« Reply #3 on: February 13, 2020, 07:33:03 am »
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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Offline Bob Wilson

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Re: Bees acting strange, or newbee ignorance?
« Reply #4 on: February 13, 2020, 06:58:18 pm »
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.

Offline van from Arkansas

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Re: Bees acting strange, or newbee ignorance?
« Reply #5 on: February 13, 2020, 10:24:17 pm »
Yellow gold bee to grey black small bees is almost guaranteed a requeening, by hive take over.
I have been around bees a long time, since birth.  I am a hobbyist so my answers often reflect this fact.  I concentrate on genetics, raise my own queens by wet graft, nicot, with natural or II breeding.  I do not sell queens, I will give queens  for free but no shipping.

Online Acebird

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Re: Bees acting strange, or newbee ignorance?
« Reply #6 on: February 14, 2020, 08:39:10 am »
Bees fly in the rain if it is warm enough.  I doubt if it is a hive take over.  Water is essential for life.
Brian Cardinal
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Offline van from Arkansas

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Re: Bees acting strange, or newbee ignorance?
« Reply #7 on: February 14, 2020, 10:06:31 am »
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.

« Last Edit: February 14, 2020, 11:43:18 am by van from Arkansas »
I have been around bees a long time, since birth.  I am a hobbyist so my answers often reflect this fact.  I concentrate on genetics, raise my own queens by wet graft, nicot, with natural or II breeding.  I do not sell queens, I will give queens  for free but no shipping.

Offline CapnChkn

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Re: Bees acting strange, or newbee ignorance?
« Reply #8 on: February 15, 2020, 06:53:26 am »
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.
"Thinking is like sin, them that doesn't is scairt of it, and them that does gets to liking it so much they can't quit!"  -Josh Billings.