Kind of a spooky dawn this morning. The haze has created this effect I suppose. The only green in our landscape is the genetically modified crops but even they are beginning to curl up in the heat of the day. 
When bees encounter very high temperatures they use a number of systems to cool the hive. They like to keep the hive at a temperature of 90-95 (32-35C) all year round. Normally they regulate the temperature by fanning in the summer or huddling in the winter. When the temperatures are in excess of 100F then they order extra water collection. In fact many honey collectors will be sent for water instead. The collected droplets are laid in a line just inside the entrance to the hive and rotating squadrons of bees are sent out to fan air across the water line, with another set of bees inside fanning the cooler air up into the hive.
If you put your ear to the hive wall you will hear the noise of thousands of wings, it sounds like the roar of a small motor revved to the max. If it is still too hot many of the bees will crawl right out of the hive and loiter about at the entrance, freeing up space in the hive for the air to flow to the brood. This causes overcrowding at the nightclub doors, and they get in the way of the fanners, so the bouncers send the crowd out into the street and up the walls to cool off. Creating a thick gathering of buzzing bees on the outside of the hive. This is called bearding. Bearding is common in the heat. Bearding has nothing to do with swarming.
To help the over heating hive I need to make sure there is plenty of water around, and that the hive is vented with my stick at the top. The rest I leave to the bees. And hope the temperatures drop soon.
When I have the vents open they order extra guard bees to make sure there are no intruders.
One of my hives has a heaving mass who hangs out on the shaded side of the hive, the wall is thick with them. They are bearding normally. The other hive has a scattering of bees all over it and they are all facing downwards. I did not notice how they were arranged until I processed the image.
This can mean that there has been a mutiny and a large portion of the hive is considering doing a runner. These girls have been sent outside to wait. They are the rabble in the streets waiting for the order. They might be going to swarm due to overcrowding. I am sure the heat contributes to this. So this hive will have to be inspected today. Which is pretty mean as the fanners and the droplet collectors will have regulated the temperature in the hive and when I open it up I am going to disrupt all their hard work and let the hot air in. 
Good morning. My weather man tells me that we have one more day of this heavy hot weather. Let’s hope so. The prolonged high temperatures are beginning to wear on the animals. The Baby Bobby Blanc is being fed extra water through-out the day as he has become unusually lethargic. The Big Dog who is quite old has become very hobbly and wobbly on his feet and is not eating very much and Queenie had to be prodded and scared up yesterday evening after lying down all day. Her mouth is open, panting and she is dribbling saliva. I mist her with the hose during the day and I did get her to move out into a new field last night with the others. But I had to point the lemon grass fly spray at her to make her move to the water trough. She hates the fly spray. Why that cow is having trouble in the heat I do not know. The others are fine. Daisy as you know is giving more milk than ever. But losing weight. We are all losing weight.
One of the big pigs is having the same trouble but he will lie under the sprinkler cooling off. So he is a bit easier to manage. Once again though they are not keeping up with their feed. The only ones thriving in the heat are the chickens as they go around cleaning up everyone else’s uneaten expensive grain and hanging out under the pigs sprinklers, ruffling their feathers and chatting.
No-one eats in the day time when it is this hot. All the smaller animals and birds are getting extra milk and eggs to compensate. The sheep and cows are being fed alfalfa in the shade.
So today will be another day of gathering water and fanning for the bees and laying under the trees for the large animals and dragging hoses for me. We are managing so far though, our systems are working. One more day.
I hope you all find something lovely today. Whether you are cool or hot.
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
94 responses to “Bees in the Heat”
Noticed the wild bees in the old cherry tree doing this a few days ago, and wondered if they were cooling, or planning an escape…still not sure, but it does sound like a small engine running when you get close to the tree.
Hope the weather man is right, for the sake of everyone.
Well wild bees can naturally swarm to create new hives so it will be interesting to see what happens.. though it is getting a bit late to swarm so they say.. c
I can feel the heat as I read about it, perhaps because it’s pretty hot here too. I love your hive photos and am curious to know what you’ll find when you open that hive. Sending cool, breezy thoughts your way (these are the days when every breeze is a gift).
I long for that whisper of cool, that you can almost smell but we are managing so far.. c
It’s hard to imagine you are so hot when it’s so cold here. Bees are so well organised and they are such hard workers. I hope you get some relief from the heat soon xx
It was 104 here again yesterday charlie, that is over 40. Which in itself is ok but for days and days on end i am not set up for it.. c
Just one more day C – just one more day! I hope your weather man has it right! If I could, I would send you some of our extremely cold weather to compensate for your heat but alas.
🙂 Mandy
Thank you Mandy, i am sure just a few drops of your chill into the mix would work wonders! c
I had no idea about the bees…. and I certainly didn’t know that heat would affect their behavior as it does humans. Jen’s been pretty cranky lately also. I’m worried about poor old Big Dog.
The door to the basement is wide open all day too so he can go down into the cool (it is cooler than the house) with the other dogs but he just will not.. he needs a good thunderstorm to scare him down there! I have been getting some ground beef out for him, we have plenty and he will eat some of that with his milk and eggs so he will be Ok. but all he really wants is the milk. So that is what he gets.
Those bees are sooooo clever. Could you put some ice in the hive for a temporary respite? Or am I totally impractical? The photo of Kupa is absolutely magnificent. He is a rajah.
Your wish that we find something lovely is heart-warming, even though it’s still cold and wet outside, and we may be obliged to cancel tomorrow’s carneval. I’ve just put a picture of my FINISHED magnum opus quilt on my blog. Lovely? Not sure.
I think your quilt is a work of art! Such a lot of work viv! c
I cannot even begin to manage heat my fried – your bees and you are doing wonderfully (runs in the family ;))
As always hoping everything is well and sending our cold down to you!
Cheers
CCU
it gets kind of hot in aussie too doesn’t it? c
As always, your bee story is fascinating, they must be great to watch. I feel so sorry for you all in that heat. Is this normal at this time of year for you or are you experiencing unseasonable weather like us? Have a good day anyway and try not to melt!
Christine
It gets up to 100 frequently in the summer but to have a whole WEEK hitting 103 and 104 is a bit unusual, though the locals tell me that it does happen every now and then.. c
Wow, Celi, very interesting! I hope it will be cooler soon!
The bees are fascinating. They, and all the animals cope with temperature variations but it’s concerning when it’s so extreme for so long. Through your own efforts you’ve created the best of environments so all will be well 🙂 Queenie may be like me, some of us don’t do well in the heat.
You are such a caring and doting caretaker of the farmy…. All your animals are quite blessed. Don’t forget to give yourself the occasional spray with the hose!
GMom
Weather report from southern Minnesota: A cool front moved through last night. This morning the temperature is 65 glorious, cool degrees, minus the humidity. I turned off the air and flung open the windows and doors. Here’s hoping the same system has moved your direction.
well good, because we are meant to hit 104 again today.. c
What an interesting insight into the lives of bees! Hope the heatwave breaks soon!
G’morning, Gunga Din,
Yep this is the last of ’em, though it’s still going to be in the high 90’s, it is not much of a break . Hold on till tomorrow, about 82˚ with an overnight low of 65˚.
Your bee keeping duties and their behaviour is fascinating, Celi. Like most, I knew they were highly organized but very little else. You’ve really filled in the blanks for me They are remarkable creatures.
Have a great day!
‘Din Din Din, you limping lump of brickdust’.. thats all i can remember, didn’t he die in the end? my dad used to chant Kipling when he was happy! I must look that one up!! l.. wow an overnight of 65 is worth waiting for! morning john.. have your tomatoes perked up at all? c
They’re doing better, though a few limbs had to be pruned; they did not refresh like most did. Thanks again, for you help.
Oh! Yes, he died and all I remember is, “You’re a better man than I am, Gunga Din.”
maybe we could put a whole verse together with the wee scraps we remember!
The bees are really interesting! I didn’t know they regulated the temperature for their hive! Truly amazing to see animals cope so naturally for themselves. Hopefully your weather man was right and you and the animals get a break from this heat finally!
another day or so.. we will wait! morning ashley! c