# Top Bar Bees



## solsikkefarms (Jun 1, 2013)

Hi there guys, I have a question maybe someone can help me with.

A friend of mine is running a top bar hive, this is their second year and by all accounts things are going well. Last week she noticed a softball size swarm of bees near the entrance to her hive and was worried they had swarmed.

She cracked open her hive this week and inspected it, there's still a good amount of bees in there, with plenty of room to expand. Eggs are present and all stages of larva. She didn't locate the queen but she said she didn't go too far into the hive.

Well this morning she says she had the same thing happen, a softball size of bees gathered up and flew off.

Any suggestions? Should she be concerned? Anything she needs to do?

Thanks


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Probably hot and humid there, bees gather at the entrance to push air into the hive to ventilate it. Raise the lid a bit on one end to allow air to circulate.

 Al


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## solsikkefarms (Jun 1, 2013)

I was finally able to get in and look around her hive. She had a lot of drones and what looks like a young queen. I'm guessing the small cluster was the queen mating. Otherwise the hive looks pretty good!


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