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Date: | Tue, 9 Nov 2021 18:25:41 -0600 |
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>I have seen clustering of bees (inside the hive) near the top entrance. I
interpreted this as a method to "throttle" the air flow, which enters the
bottom and flows out through the top entrance.
While my approach is decidedly unscientific, I have experimented with a
variety of overwintering configurations (i.e. insulation or no | upper
entrance or no) in a couple different hive set-ups (i.e. 3/4" T Langs
versus 1-1/2" T Warres) the past few seasons and the only pattern that I
have been able to discern is that there might be something other than (or
maybe in addition to) configuration (maybe genetics?) that determines where
the cluster sets-up in our relatively mild Mid-South climate when
overwintering in more than one box.
More to the point, most (80/20) colonies with upper entrances set-up early
in the season in the topmost box and do tend to congregate near the
entrance, but the ones that set-up in the lower box are only found at the
upper entrance during mild weather.
Also anecdotal, but I have noticed that most of the feral colonies I have
observed living in trees (with cavities generally above the opening) tend
to cluster near the entrance and can typically be seen near the entrance
even during the coldest of weather (at least for us).
As to the question, I am convinced that a honey bee colony is a master of
air management. Their artful work at adding and taking away from the
propolis plug that many utilize to partially occlude an upper entrance
throughout the overwintering effort around here seems to suggest
intentionality.
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