I had hoped to check out the hive before this but my "dog life" got into the way. I was planning on adding another super but I have been too busy the last two weeks to do that. I will being going into the hive today or tomorrow. I have a friend with a great camera eye who plans on being here to get some pictures that are much better than my one-handed shots.
I will be checking out something I spotted the other day. Call it poor planning or just a space limitation but the hive is along the side of my laundry room. I was doing some yard work and the laundry when I took a break for some bee watching. They seemed agitated and more active than normal. Had it been later in the day I would have said it was the hive orientation flights they do around 3PM every day but it was around noon. Then I noticed a bit of lint blowing on the dryer air duct. The DUH moment happened. Why would bees be happy with hot air blowing on the back of the hive? I placed a piece of plywood between the vent and the hive and that seems to be working.
I will do a full test of the system today. If they are still annoyed I will have to save clothes drying for the evenings which the power company recommends anyway. .
We re getting some warmer weather this weekend so look for a report on the latest hive visit and hopefully some great bee shots.
UPDATE: The simple approach worked, placing the board between the dryer vent and the hive seems to have calmed things down for the hive.
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