Bee behavior

Discover 4 posts about bee behavior

Swarm Traps: Catching Free Bees With a Box
Bee behavior

Swarm Traps: Catching Free Bees With a Box

A 40-liter box with a south-facing entrance, 3 meters up, baited with old brood comb. Seeley's research validated the formula. Catch rates approach 80%.

February 17, 2026
swarm trapbait hive
Bee Water Foraging and the Swimming Pool Problem
Bee behavior

Bee Water Foraging and the Swimming Pool Problem

A colony consumes up to 1 liter of water daily - none of it for drinking. The nearest reliable source is often your neighbor's pool. Bees don't forget it.

February 2, 2026
water foragingbee water
Absconding vs. Swarming: When Bees Leave the Hive
Bee behavior

Absconding vs. Swarming: When Bees Leave the Hive

Swarming is reproduction - half the colony leaves. Absconding is abandonment - the entire colony vanishes. The triggers, timing, and outcomes differ completely.

January 27, 2026
abscondingswarming
The Waggle Dance: How Bees Communicate Location
Bee behavior

The Waggle Dance: How Bees Communicate Location

Karl von Frisch decoded it in 1945: angle encodes direction relative to the sun, duration encodes distance. A 15-second dance means food 3 km away.

November 4, 2025
waggle dancebee communication