Bees strung together in open space, seemingly barely hanging onto one another.
A festoon is the lace of bees that hangs between the frames. When festooning, bees hang in layers between the frames, seemingly barely hanging on with legs outstretched. Sometimes the pattern is as wide and deep as the frame itself. It is thought to be associated with building comb. It may be a way bees measure distance. Bees are able to produce wax flakes from their wax glands without festooning but it might be a way to enable better wax gland activity.
Anderson C. 2023 update. Festooning Bees: A Unique Behavior. Carolina HoneybeesCarolina Honeybees:
Carolina Honeybees. Accessed October 2022. https://carolinahoneybees.com/. Accessed 2023. https://carolinahoneybees.com/festooning-bees/?msclkid=70d402ddce3a11ecbf17bf19eee9ff4e
Simmonds M. 2023. Festooning Bees – what’s that about? BeeKeepClub. Accessed 2023. https://beekeepclub.com/festooning-bees-whats-that-about/?msclkid=8e6620cace3b11ecbbda284e16975d47
