>>We have had bees moving back and forth in that pattern and were told >>that it is a random act called "washboarding." >I've read about this in my *old* edition of ABC & XYZ and noticed my bees >doing it the other evening. The book implied that it's just a form of >loafing when the bees have nothing else to do. Anybody got a better >explanation? As a programmer I always consider that it is some "logic" that is instictively being "executed" on the bees part. I assume it is young bees who are supposed to be cleaning cells but due to nectar in the cells or a hot hive they move outside and execute the behavior anyway. I have no evidence that they are the young bees but it seems resonable to me.