Bearding question. Need a little clarification

[sunnyside]

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Hello all!

Another question for you, this time about bearding.  I know that bearding is when it is a bit too hot inside the hive so a few (or many) go outside to cool things off for a bit.  Is this the only reason they do this or are there others?

Also, why would one hive have so many bearding and the one right next to it does not.  Would that simply mean that hive that is bearding has more bees in it than the other?  Does bearding signify anything else?  Just trying to understand thier behavior as best I can!!

[FRAMEshift]

Very good questions.  Some hives like to beard.  Maybe heat or crowding gets them started, but once they start they will beard for quite a number of days, even after the heat is gone.  Nothing to worry about.

[BlueBee]

I agree with Frameshift.  In my bee yard it seems to be the combo of heat, hive population, and hive airflow that determines the amount of bearding.  Since you have what appears to be identical setups, my guess is your left hive has a lot more bees in it than the right hive, but I could be wrong.

We had 90F here today, probably headed your way tomorrow.  Expect more bearding. 

If you want to get some better venting for a day or two, you could put a dime/penny under each corner of your inner cover to create a crack for more venting.  While a 1/16 inch crack doesn’t look like much, when you multiply it by the perimeter of the inner cover it actually turns out to be a rather large vent hole.

1/16” crack x 70” perimeter = 4.375 square inch hole!

[Michael Bush]

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesfaqs.htm#bearding

[CapnChkn]

BlueBee, wouldn't they just propolize that shut?

I have a half round hole cut in my inner cover, and they tried to close that quarter inch hole after gluing the cover down.

[BlueBee]

Yep, they will propolize a crack shut, but it will take them at least a week.  

The gap won’t be needed for long up north; fall starts to push into the north from Canada next week.  I’m going to pop the tops of my little foam nucs again today.  We’re expecting near record highs of 97F here today.

[Francus]

Maybe it's a right/left thing    (sarcasam for sure!) Mine are set up the same and the left one beards all day and all night and the right one never. Bees can be so strange!

[BlueBee]