What you see in the photo above are bees hanging down from the front of their hive at our ranch. This is called “bearding” because it kind of looks like a beard added to the bottom of the hive’s face.
Why do bees do this?
There are at least three reasons we know.
First, during hot weather, bees will hang outside in order to keep the inside of the hive cooler for the queen and her brood.
Second, bees might beard before they swarm. This often occurs if the hive becomes overcrowded and half of the hive decides to move to a new location. Ideally you’ll split into two hives or add an additional box for extra space before this becomes a problem.
Third, some varroa mite treatments contain fumes that make the bees want to stay outside instead of being overwhelmed by the smell. Done 2-3 times a year, these treatments are necessary to protect beehives from being killed off by varroa mites.
So, if you see bees bearding on their hive, it can be a good or bad thing depending upon the circumstances.
Want to learn more about our bees and Texas wildflower honey? Join the free Bee Wranglers Club.