I set this nuc up around mid-June and then took off on a month of travels and workshops.  The high temperatures we’ve had for the last few days would easily explain the bearding in this photo, because while I added some ventilation screen to my lids, this nuc equipment comes with a solid bottom board.  In this case, though, overheating has been exacerbated by overpopulation.  An attempt at inspection showed this little hive to be bursting at the seams with bees, with capped brood tucked into every conceivable corner.  I actually gave up on my inspection, as it was nearly impossible to remove frames without causing damage to the extraneous comb and brood.  Today’s task will be to move this colony to larger quarters and hope to get a better read on how the queen is actually performing after they settle down (overheating + overpopulating = cranky bees!).  By the looks of it, she’s off to a good start.  Next time I plan to be away, I think I’ll err on the generous side and tuck my growing nuc into a full-size box!