Bees bearding and ?licking? the hive

[LizzieBee]

There are a bunch of worker bees standing with their heads down on the front of the lower brood box. I assumed this is bearding but it looks like they are also licking the hive. Is that normal?

Lizzie

[iddee]

It is called washboarding It is normal. This is bearding.....

[LizzieBee]

Thanks! They do it every afternoon and through the evening.

Lizzie

[MikeyN.C.]

That driveway looks familiar. 

[The15thMember]

My one hive has been washboarding almost constantly for the past few weeks.  I love watching them do it, I think it's a riot.  No one's entirely sure why the bees do this behavior, so it's also a fascinating reminder of just how much we still don't know about them.     

[beepro]

They should be out foraging not cleaning up the hive.   Planting plenty of bee plants near your hives will avoid this situation.

[Cappy]

I agree with 15th Member; it is fascinating. We have so much yet to learn about the honeybee. I have not seen washboarding on the outside of my hives. But I put windows on the brood chambers and I see them almost every evening doing the same looking washboarding activity on the outside ends of the frames. Odd and cute at the same time.

[Hops Brewster]

My washboarding hypothesis;

They are applying moisture to the outside of the hive to aid in evaporative cooling.

that, or they simply can't tolerate all the muddy hoof-prints the foragers leave on the wall of their boxes.

[The15thMember]

I agree with 15th Member; it is fascinating. We have so much yet to learn about the honeybee. I have not seen washboarding on the outside of my hives. But I put windows on the brood chambers and I see them almost every evening doing the same looking washboarding activity on the outside ends of the frames. Odd and cute at the same time.

You have windows on your brood boxes?!  That sounds so cool!  How did you install them?  What material did you use? 

My washboarding hypothesis;

They are applying moisture to the outside of the hive to aid in evaporative cooling.

that, or they simply can't tolerate all the muddy hoof-prints the foragers leave on the wall of their boxes.

Ok, I love the phrase "bee hooves", fantastic concept.     Hey, that evaporation idea is interesting.  My girls did start washboarding about the same time they started fanning.       

[MikeyN.C.]

My bees beard up 2 - ten deeps, the only bees fanning are on landing board. I thought the bees that are bearding above landing board were forage bees in a dearth and are just moving out of hive to regulated temps.  Then go in late night or early morning?

[Van, Arkansas, USA]

My washboarding hypothesis;

They are applying moisture to the outside of the hive to aid in evaporative cooling.

that, or they simply can't tolerate all the muddy hoof-prints the foragers leave on the wall of their boxes.

Hops, that is as good a guess as any I ever heard regarding washboarding.  Courious just in the front of the hive, very few bees on the side.  I am fairly sure the bees are not cleaning and my bees go back into the hive as as the temps drops with darkness approaching.  By morning almost all bees are in the hive.  The honey is capped so in my opinion the washboarding is not related to Honey.  In N Arkansas we are in a severe dearth, not a flower for miles, so I my opinion is washboarding is not related to nectar or pollen, there is none.

So again Hops your hypothesis is number 1.  One of us should place a block of ice on top of the hive and determine the washboarding effect, if any.  Your younger, you do it.  Lol

[Van, Arkansas, USA]

Washboarding:  I have one of those lazer thermometer that takes surface temp, actually the lazer just indicates the spot, just a pointer.

So I checked the temps of the front of 5 hives:  washboarding was one degree cooler. Conditions, sunny 98F, calm, 41 percent humidity, shaded hives.

The hive entrances were 99F, hanging clusters were 100F, the top super was 103. One hive is vented in the top back with a 1.5 inches hole that is screened.  This hive was same temp as the unvented hives.  I dunno??

[herbhome]

I always thought it was busy work to get the kids out from under foot. Kinda like rock stacking.

[Hops Brewster]

I always thought it was busy work to get the kids out from under foot. Kinda like rock stacking.

Yeah, I like that idea, too!   BRATS! Get out of the kitchen!

[Dabbler]

Washboarding:  I have one of those lazer thermometer that takes surface temp, actually the lazer just indicates the spot, just a pointer.

Could you get the bees to chase the laser spot like a cat?