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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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Subject:
From:
Stephen Augustine <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Tue, 14 Aug 2001 19:27:18 -0700
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Hello All,

Today (August 14th, high temperature of about 76 deg F, foggy in the
morning brilliantly sunny by mid-day) I have been observing some rather
strange behaviour on the front porches of a couple of our hives and was
wondering if anyone had any insight on what it might mean.

A small group of bees, about 10 or 12 in each group, are engaging in what
appears to be the motions that a mining bee or other animal would use in
digging a tunnel/burrow. They scrabble with their forelegs on the painted
surface, antennae down, mandibles to the surface - back and forth, back and
forth. The surface is clean of anything that I could see (no propolis, or
wax, or dirt). They have been doing this since early afternoon and are
still at it right now (7:15p.m.). The bees are the offspring of 2nd
generation Carniolan queens.

Just curious is all. Perhaps they're just doing it to confuse the observer :)

Stephen Augustine
Bees By The Bay

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