A phenomenon where worker bees form a dense, aggressive knot around a queen, vibrating their flight muscles to raise the temperature. This suffocates and overheats the queen, usually occurring when a new queen is introduced improperly or if the colony is severely stressed.
Heard on the job
I tried to introduce the new Italian queen too fast, and the hive immediately started balling her.
Insider tip
Always leave a new queen in a protective cage with a candy plug for a few days to let the colony accept her scent before she emerges, preventing a balling response.