I’ve read about it. I’ve even seen videos posted by other beekeepers. But yesterday I saw it for the first time with my own eyes. And it was right in my own backyard! Well, right on the front of my beehive, that is.
I’m talking about a common activity for bees called washboarding. It’s called that because the rhythmic forward and backward motion of the bees resembles the motion of washing clothes on a washboard. The experts aren’t sure why the bees do it. Some think they are ‘cleaning’ the front of the hive, but there’s no real evidence that’s what they’re really doing.
Regardless of the purpose, it makes for interesting viewing. Click on the Youtube video below to watch the Happy Acres ladies Doin’ The Washboard.
‘http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7Hb5b2p_7M’
UPDATE:
I went out this morning, and they were doing it again! This time there are fewer bees, and it was a lot quieter outside ;-).
