Hi Helen
It could be that that hive is thinking of swarming. One things the colony has
to do when it swarms is decide which bees go and which stay. One way of doing
that is for the potential swarm bees to start camping out on the porch. This
can happen for several days prior to the swarm leaving. The cluster grows and
shrinks from day to day as bees come and go between it and the body of the hive.
Other explanations are also available, as they say!
Gareth
Sent from my iPad
On 24 May 2022, at 17:55, Helen Hitchman <hitchman24@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I went round my hives yesterday morning to put a super on. I have 5 national
hives and this is the first time I have opened them this year. I literally
took the roof and crown board off and popped a super on. All five looked very
strong colonies.
On one hive I noticed a ball of bees about the size of a grapefruit or small
melon clinging to the underneath of the hive. I assumed that maybe there
wasn't enough room for them in the hive. So I left them to it.
I went and checked them again at lunchtime today and they are still there?? I
left them to it again, but does anyone have any ideas as to what they are
doing? Could it be a swarm that couldn't find anywhere else to go?
I have a nuc box next to the hive, which I have opened the entrance on, in
case they are looking for a new home....
