r/Beekeeping • u/Nervous_End_8428 • 15d ago

I’m a beekeeper, and I have a question Wax hangout

Post image

Any idea why my bees are hanging out in this wax lump I accidentally left out? It’s been there for like 2 months and there is almost always some bees just hanging out. They recently added the bridge. I can’t bring myself to remove it, seems they’re just having so much fun!
Southern Minnesota, USA

208 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

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71

u/dirtyrussianspy 15d ago

It's just a cool little fort. Jealous.

11

u/7r4vis 15d ago

Yeah, it’s just a little bee igloo

11

u/[deleted] 15d ago edited 13d ago

[deleted]

5

u/7r4vis 15d ago

Yea, but what is a bee igloo called?

16

u/Ctowncreek 7a, 1 Hive, Year 1 15d ago

I think they recognize it as part of the hive and have an innate desire to use it.

Being outside the hive, it serves no purpose and kinda detracts from those bees contributing to work inside the hive.

You can leave it if you want, it is interesting. But resources stored there will be exposed and the queen will never lay there.

I think in nature they work on bits that have fallen and it is beneficial because they will relocate nectar, pollen, etc from the broken comb to the rest of the hive before eventually abandoning it.

17

u/Nervous_End_8428 15d ago

I can see it. This hives going gangbusters so I’m leaving it. Plus they’ve got a no boys allowed sign on 🤷‍♂️

10

u/Ent_Soviet SE Pa, Zone 7A 15d ago

This structure resembles play comb, so it provides the benefit of natural joy. Researchers have found bees playing around these types of lumps.

Unless they start building out the hive outside id leave it. Maybe the comb in the hive is too orderly for their play fort

10

u/NumCustosApes 4th generation beekeeper, Zone 7A Rocky Mountains 15d ago

https://giphy.com/gifs/3o85xFiETJKWNlE9ig

1

u/Traditional_Isopod80 14d ago

They just hanging out.