Is it robbing? Please help!

[Gail Di Matteo]

Hello all,
It is 72 and sunny here today. I came home to tons of activity at all three hives. This is what I am observing:
Lots of bees circling in front of the hive (orientation flights in December??);
Bees duke-ing it out on the porch (I've seen this in summer);
Lots of bees hanging out on the ground.
Two out of three hives are "noisy".

I want to believe it is the same sort of behavior I've seen all summer, you know, getting the old ladies out of the hive, but with the time of year and the unseasonably warm weather.....

Should I just close up the hive this evening?

Thanks to all,
Gail

[KONASDAD]

you shouldn'y have robbing now. Its probably cleansing and orientation flights for sure. They've been cooped up for a while and when they get the chance, party time! I had it on the one warmer day last week. As the sun hit a hive, about 40 minutes of activity, when the sun got blocked by a tree, back inside. If a hive died out, they would steal the left over stores, but they dont circle around a hive entrance. Robbing is intense and you can feel the anger  in the air. They just attck the landing board area, but dont circle.

[Understudy]

I am not sure it is robbing. From the sounds of it. It sounds like the bees got some warm weather and took advantage of it.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

[Gail Di Matteo]

Okay.
So now I have more questions. How come there is no robbing at this time of year?
And since I must not have paid attention to these chapters, what exactly goes on in the hive in the winter? I thought the queen stopped laying? What if there hadn't been a warm day all winter? What would the scenario be then?
I appreciate all clarification.
Thanks,
Gail

[Michael Bush]

If there is a lot of wrestling on the landing board, then they are robbing.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesrobbing.htm