Is this a reaction to very hot weather?

[Mklangelo]

Out conditions here in Milwaukee have been basically tropical for the last two days.  I found a bunch of bees festooning or bearding as and around the entrance.  It was probably about 200 of em'.   They have a completely unworked  super above them so I doubt is is a swarming behavior.  Any ideas on why they to that?

My back yard thermometer read 101 F today.

[doak]

Your thermometer told them to do it.
Raise the rear of the cover and put a 1/4 to 1/2 in block in leaving a crack. Can't find anything handy, use your entrance reducer.
doak

[Mklangelo]

I did prop open the lids on all three.   ;)

[doak]

Don't get me wrong. They are still going to hang out to an extent when it is hot.
I don't know how the effect is with Screened Bottom Boards.
I haven't switched over yet but plan to.
doak

[JP]

You've done what you can do, bees will beard in hot weather, I wouldn't worry too much over it. I see feral hives all of the time and they all beard as well, its a natural thing for them to do.

[annette]

Amazing as it may sound, since I got those ventilated inner covers from Honey Run Apiaries, between those and the screened bottom boards, I do not have any bearding whats so ever. Now we had 106 degrees here 2 days ago and will be well in the 100's again soon. Last year the bees were hanging off the boxes in the evening to keep cool.

With these inner covers, absolutely no bearding at all. I think these covers really made the difference.

Annette from hot,hot Placerville

[thegolfpsycho]

Placerville, Red Bluff, Chico..... heavens to mergatroid it gets hot up there.  Pretty cool in the winter though.  I experimented with screened bottom boards last year.  Some I left open year round.  Make sure you close them up for winter.  Really retarded hive expansion in the very unsettled spring around  here.