What did the bees do during the Eclipse?

April 8 and here in Maine we had a total solar Eclipse. In my bee yard we had 98% so what did my bees make of this?

[@BucketListBees]

It appears your apiary had significant winter losses . Seems to me last fall it was full.

[@philprochaska9926]

Lol I thought the same, wonder is he splitting too small or not feeding enough in the fall….

[@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer]

Good eye. While this yard did have higher losses over Winter I have been moving bees to clear space as this will be where I house all my nucs for sale over the next months.

[@AmericansBee]

Shoulda placed the glassed over the camera lens. Thanks tho

[@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer]

Tried that and quite a few other tricks to no avail...

[@johnlummis8270]

Thanks for the "Out of the box" thinking on subject matter! I was curious about this too but I could not observe my bees while at work. I only had about a 96% totality in Central Missouri. I appreciate your content.

[@sschul5886]

I used the hole on my key to project it. Thank you (and them) for the bee info.

[@johnconly8769]

I did my first demaree split today. Ty you for your videos. It made it easier. Thanks again

[@davidpotts3844]

No change with my bees they were very busy 98% totality

[@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer]

I was surprised that they were already on their way home here with the sun only 20-30% covered.

[@youareIndenial981]

The eclipse is over. Time to grow up now

[@gordonspond8223]

We had 100% totality for about 4 minutes and the beehives went quiet. As soon as the sun came back, they were out and about again.

[@franklotion8]

Same here

[@jillhumphrys9349]

My dog is running around the house trying to find the barking dog on your video Lolol

[@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer]

Mine too while I was editing!

[@cathylindeboo.9598]

How cool, a bee keeping channel!!

[@DStewart2022]

We were in totality as well. About 15-20min before totality I shot some video as well. My observations were similar to yours. A lot of "incoming" and little "outgoing".

[@terryadkins9831]

The brilliant thing is i tricked you chaps into watching my ridiculous video and i wore hahaha my bee suit when their were no danger of being stung by these marvelous bees

[@wireman4029]

What a neat study; thanks for documenting this event.

[@user-bg1eo7lo9u]

Thanks for sharing!

[@davidjoseph7142]

I wonder if after the bees got back into the hive whether they started shaking their little buts at each other saying stuff like, “Hey Joe did today seam shorter to you?"

[@terrestrialfan]

😂

[@truthseekwarrior]

Or Joe the days just seem to buzz by so fast now a days. 😂😂

[@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer]

I thought I could hear little cries of "Witchcraft!"

[@williambates6811]

Have your bees started brooding up this year? I check my hives and found very little brood.

[@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer]

I am sure they have but the the build up has only just begun but I have not been digging in this was our first day of 60F

[@dijonwhitmore171]

I live in Arkansas and we had totality for about 4 min. My bees looked confused. They were running around on the front of the hive. When the total eclipse happened they would fly out buzz around in the air a little then fly back in. The total eclipse was so awsome! Something my family will never forget. It got so dark and the temp dropped 7 degrees.

[@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer]

98% was pretty amzing too.

[@user-hk9zv9wr7i]

Is a blessing live outside of the city only connected with the natural environment birds trees insects rocks water rivers 😊

[@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer]

It certainly is but you can keep connected to the great outdoors with beehives in the City !

[@bligon11]

The birds are noisy!!!

[@Bonza001]

I'm not sure where you are in the world but I can't actually remember when we had a clear expanse of blue sky here in Cornwall UK like that

[@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer]

We were truely lucky here to have 100% clear skies.....for April in Maine thats unusual but in Summer Fall and Winter pretty common place. In all the 30 years I lived in Britain I could probably count days like that on one hand!!!

[@QGBFH]

All 5 of my hives had huge orientation parties this afternoon after the eclipse was over. There were so many bees in the air, I thought one of them had swarmed.

[@Ambees_Honey_Farm]

Interesting! I didn't watch my bees yesterday, we traveled to experience totality. I do have a question, where do you get your little bucket feeders? Thank you for the awesome videos!

[@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer]

I am a dealer of Betterbee Products

[@jillhumphrys9349]

Where are you located, Bee Whisperer? Im in NWArkansas.

[@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer]

Hampden Maine.

[@JennieRose8]

The bees were going bananas near my house as the sun slowly darkened.

[@brycehanson6750]

Same experience in West Virginia but clouds moved in just a the eclipse peaked. Busy bees before, very little activity during and a mad rush after.

[@coryrthomas6674]

Hi can you tell me what i should do i have little brood in the 2nd box and empty bottom should i push them down to the bottom or leave them i would like a single brood chamber Im in Wilton Maine Thanks

[@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer]

No wait until the colony is bigger and generating more heat. Moving a small cluster down below an empty super will result in heat loss and the possible chilling of what brood they have. I only reverse chamber when there is BOTH a big custer AND warm weather forcast.

[@coryrthomas6674]

@@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer Hi thanks i have 3 queen coming this week it is a mistake i made do you know anyone around Augusta that might be wanting to buy them they are Carlions dont know what esle to do thanks again

[@lestersegelhorst2776]

Watching eclipse in Southern Illinois today and was stung by a wasp. I was just sitting in a yard chair in a grassy area of the yard. No problems the whole time until about 30 min after totally ended. When I was suddenly attacked on the forearm While sitting still relaxing.

[@daniaann]

My daughter got stung right before totality

[@jillhumphrys9349]

We had 80% totality, but i saw with the glasses that it was a mere sliver. I felt like i was wearing sunglasses.

[@DNADirekt]

What did the bees do during the Eclipse? They are at the Bar!

[@lambbrookfarm4528]

We had 97.8% totality here in central NH. The bees definitely stopped foraging as the sun dimmed and the temperature dropped approximately 7 degrees F.

[@reginaangell5327]

Enjoying the breeze between their knees when it got cool and dark.

[@jimyounger9490]

If I were a bee I would look for the queen and…you know.

[@JamesBOydston-pq9zq]

They thru a party

[@CutieSusie7777]

The robins in Ohio were a little confused also

[@jaytee283]

bees are solar powered...

[@karencahill4798]

Not much to see here in Oregon 🥱

[@markmcdowell6878]

How about you CLEAN YOUR YARD????

[@solamano7239]

Since when were you appointed the neighborhood watch?

[@markmcdowell6878]

@@solamano7239 Beekeepers Should have a clean Yard . Its about royalty.

[@solamano7239]

@@markmcdowell6878 - The gentleman was kind enough to show us his bees and we don't know what else he has going on in his life at the moment.

[@solamano7239]

@@markmcdowell6878 - This gentleman was kind enough to show us his bees. Who knows what else is going on in his life at this time?

[@1coketogo554]

@@markmcdowell6878 That's dumb.