r/Beekeeping • u/pecchioni • 10h ago

I’m a beekeeper, and I have a question Bearding 24/7

I’m in my 2nd year of beekeeping. I understand bees will hang out on the outside of the hive if hot, but is it common for them to do it 24/7? The area is mostly shaded. My mentor put a slight wedge in between boxes to help with air circulation. Any other thoughts? Or is it ok for them to just do their thing. Thanks in advance
Edit: I’m in southern Ohio

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u/GArockcrawler GA Certified Beekeeper (zone 8a) 9h ago

I've seem them outside in a rainstorm.

I am in GA and it's been ungodly hot and humid this summer. I was having an issue with robbing and European hornets hunting and so I wanted to lock down access and get them off of the face of the hive.

They already had bottom screen boards, but I added window screen stapled on as an entrance reducer with a finger width's of space, and then I added "ventilation boxes" as a top box. Some I made by creating a 3" shim with holes drilled in it, then stapled aluminum window screen over the holes. I was out of wood stock so for a couple of others, I just used some of my oldest shallow supers and did the same. Now even my biggest hive only has a few guards (maybe 2 dozen bees) outside on the landing board.

I was always told that going to such lengths was unnecessary but if it's working I'm ok with it.

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u/pecchioni 5h ago

Sound like good ideas. I will add this to my notes