What bearding is
Bearding is when many bees gather on the outside of the hive, often at the entrance, on the landing board, or hanging from the bottom board, in a shape like a beard. It is common in warm weather and, in most cases, is normal. People sometimes confuse it with the stunt of covering a person’s face with bees, which is a different thing entirely and not covered here.
Why bees beard
The brood nest is kept at roughly 32 to 36 degrees Celsius (about 90 to 97 degrees Fahrenheit), and bees also manage humidity as they ripen nectar. On hot, humid days, a large colony inside a box can generate more heat than comfortable. Bees that move outside reduce the crowd and the heat load, and leave space for others to fan air through the hive.
Factors that are often mentioned alongside bearding:
- Hot or humid weather
- A big population relative to the space available
- Limited ventilation
- A nectar dearth, when fewer bees have work to do outside
- Evening, when foragers have come home
Often it is a combination, and bees usually go back in as temperatures fall overnight.
Bearding versus swarming
New beekeepers often worry that a cluster means the colony is about to swarm. They look different in most cases.
| Feature | Bearding | Swarm preparing or leaving |
|---|---|---|
| Position | On the front of the hive, landing board, or bottom | A swarm cluster hangs somewhere away from the hive, such as a branch |
| Activity | Mostly calm and still, little flying | Heavy flight activity and noise when it leaves |
| Timing | Often evening and hot weather | Often warm midday hours |
| Return | Bees often go back in overnight | The swarm does not return |
Bearding alone does not prove that a swarm is coming, and absence of bearding does not prove it is not. Look inside for other signs, such as queen cells hanging from the lower edges of frames, as described in swarm cells.
Bearding versus washboarding
Washboarding is a separate behavior in which bees line up on the outside walls near the entrance and rock back and forth, often facing the same way. It is commonly seen in summer. Why bees do it is not well understood. Suggestions include cleaning the surface, and some people think it involves young bees. Bearding bees, in contrast, tend to hold still. For more on interpreting behavior outside the hive, see reading bee behavior at the hive entrance.
How long do bees beard before swarming?
There is no reliable time period. Bees may beard for days in a heat wave without any intention to swarm, and a colony can swarm without any bearding. A better approach is to inspect the colony. If you find capped queen cells and the hive is crowded, a swarm may be near whether or not bees are bearding.
What to do if your bees are bearding
Often, nothing. It is a natural way to keep cool. Some suggestions beekeepers use:
- Check the weather and time. Evening bearding in hot weather is usually temperature related.
- Give space. If the boxes are full, adding a super or box can relieve crowding.
- Improve ventilation. Removing an entrance reducer, or using a screened bottom board or upper ventilation, may help. Choose methods suited to your climate and hive.
- Provide shade and water. Afternoon shade and a nearby water source help the colony manage heat.
- Do not spray or disturb the cluster. Disturbing the bees can make them move into the hive and add to the heat.
Take these as general practices and adjust to your local conditions.
When to look closer
Inspect the colony more carefully if bearding comes with any of the following:
- Queen cells with larvae or capped cells
- A sudden drop in the number of bees
- Signs of disease, mites, or a queenless colony
- Strong flight activity and noise from the entrance
If you are unsure, an experienced local beekeeper or club can help. See splitting a bee hive for options if the colony is overcrowded.
FAQ
What does an unhealthy bee hive look like? See what a healthy bee hive looks like for the full list. Possible signs include few bees, spotty brood, discolored or sunken cappings, foul smells, many dead bees, and visible mites or deformed wings. Bearding on its own is not one of them.
What is the 3-3-3 rule for bees? The phrase has several meanings. One version is about moving hives: either less than three feet or more than three miles. It is unrelated to bearding.