[Laurieston]

Several times this year I have heard a purring coming out of my hive.  It sounded like a cat.  I could hear it from outside the unopened hive.

Has anyone else heard something like this?

[Sudanpan]

I sometimes hear a bit of a roaring coming from the hive, but not purring

[Fleecewife]

Isn't that what Granny Weatherwax heard when she went to consult her bees?

[Ina]

Isn't that what Granny Weatherwax heard when she went to consult her bees?

Oh, she heard all sorts of things! 

[cloddopper]

Several times this year I have heard a purring coming out of my hive.  It sounded like a cat.  I could hear it from outside the unopened hive.

Has anyone else heard something like this?

 It sounds as though the field bees were working a nectar flow and the hive bees were fanning the uncapped honey to reduce the moisture so it can be capped  . Their fanning also produces heat so you'll have also have had the "  ventilation bee " fanning like mad to keep the hive temp down to stop the wax melting and collapsing the combs.

[Laurieston]

Man they work hard those bees.  I'm glad I'm not one.

Thanks for all the replies.

(I'll see if I can record it sometime and try to attach the audio file)