New Package

[Schoon]

I installed a new package last week and the queen was dead. They shipped me another queen which I installed Mon. I haven't checked to see if they have free her. There are a lot of bees on the front of the hive that seem like they are cleaning the hive. They are going around and looks like they are scrubbing the wood. What would they be doing? Thanks.

[AllenF]

Do they look like they are bearding near the front door?    Where on the hive are they cleaning?

[iddee]

It is called "washboarding" and is common. No one has ever figured out why they do it.

[Schoon]

They were on the landing board in front just before they go in the hive.

[Thymaridas]

When the bees are washboarding they are supposed to be happy. If you paint your hives, don't be surprised to see that they take the paint right off.

But who knows what they are really doing.

As a side note, I have never lost a colony over winter that washboards and they are always my strongest hives.

Have fun!

[Michael Bush]

Usually a package with a dead queen in the cage has a live one with the bees.