Bees Waggle Dancing on the Porch

[The15thMember]

I was just up in my apiary watching my bees and one of the hives was using the vertical surface of their mouse guard as the waggle dance floor!  I was very surprised, as I figured this was something they would only do inside the hive.  All the usual behaviors were accompanying the dancers.  One bee was doing a short but quite vigorous circle dance, and another bee was doing a figure 8 dance, which the other workers weren't much interested in.  The one doing the circle dance had a crowd of bees all around her, almost like she was a queen, and every couple minutes she'd pause her dance they they'd mob her for a free sample.  Has anyone else ever seen waggle dancing on the outside of a hive like this before? 

[BeeMaster2]

Member,
I have seen the waggle dance on the outside of swarms and on the front of hives. I see them on the front of the hives when there are a lot of bees one the front and the nurse bees are collecting nectar from the field bees out front, usually during a good flow. The next time you see a swarm look closely and you will see bees dancing.
Jim Altmiller

[The15thMember]

Member,
I have seen the waggle dance on the outside of swarms and on the front of hives. I see them on the front of the hives when there are a lot of bees one the front and the nurse bees are collecting nectar from the field bees out front, usually during a good flow. The next time you see a swarm look closely and you will see bees dancing.
Jim Altmiller

I have heard about swarms dancing to find a new nest site, although I have never seen it.  It's funny that you mention seeing dancing on the hive face during a good flow, because my is flow over.  This hive is very full though, so maybe the dancing just spilled out into the street!