# bees out side of hive



## bellcow (May 12, 2014)

I am kind of new to bee keeping. I have one hive that I caught from a swarm about 6 weeks ago. there seems to be lot of bees on or around the entrance during the day but at sun down the front of the hive had about a pound of bees stuck to the front of the hive. I added a second deep hive body about a week ago. is this hive over crowded and is about to swarm or is something else wrong here. any help would be appreciated.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Any where in the mid west, your hives are hot and some places humid. They are also full of nectar that needs the moisture content reduced. All those bees on the out side are helping to fan air thru the hive and not making body heat inside the hive.

You can help them out by propping the outer cover up on the front lip of the hive allowing better air flow thru the hive..

The boggie man won't get you if you put just your state location in your profile and then we can better answer your questions.

 Al


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## bellcow (May 12, 2014)

thanks for the reply. l will try some ventilation.

I edited my info. let's see if west central Georgia comes up.


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## robsdak (Feb 2, 2014)

being a new beek, i have had the same questions. my answer was to take 4 screws 1 for each corner and left the sticking up about 1/4 - 3/8 in. and set the lid back on. really helped mine.


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## arnie (Apr 26, 2012)

its not a bad idea to place a empty hive on a stand about 4 feet high 20 feet or so in front of your hives hopefully to catch a swarm a friend will place a cedar tree about 10 feet high in the distance from his hive is he suspects swarming he catches a lot of swarms . any one else have advice for catching a swarm from your own bees . he also has advised me to start using the wire bottoms in my hives any body try them yet ?


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

I have used screened bottom boards for close to 20 years now. I make them my self, there is a sticky above on making them. The flashing is removed when it gets hot for ventilation.

To prevent swarms in your own hives is the proper way to go. Add honey supers or deeps to make sure the bees are not crowded. Do inspections on a timely manner if you see queen cells being built do not try to remove them as they will probably have some hidden or start making new cells as soon as the clear the smoke out of the hive.
Look for that queen till you find her and make a new colony with her and several frames from the hive with out a queen cell on it. Shake in some extra bees and you have more or less made a artificial swarm to do what they were going to do with unknown results.

 Al


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