Morse code?

I went out to check on the ladies. The temperature is 11.5C and that's getting down to the point where it's not possible to open the hive. They may have inbuilt heaters but it's not fair to let all their heat out and make them warm it up all over again. It would be like putting the central heating on then having some thoughtless individual take off your roof. Darned chilly.

I looked at the landing platform at the front of the hive and there were no bees to see. I bent over and looked a little closer and there were a line of them just inside the opening and I could hear a loud clicking. This worried me enough to consult beekeepers in the area and no one seemed to have a clue.

Google was consulted. Several bee keeping forums had several questions of the same nature so clearly mine is not the only hive communicating in Morse Code. There were a number of possible explanations. Queen Pipping-No idea what that was but according to those who know it is usually related to the birth of a new queen so not likely in October. Gnawing. Now that seemed more likely. Apparently bees sometimes gnaw at small cracks to make them larger. I'd no idea they had strong enough jaws! The other suggestion was that it might be a mouse. But if it were a mouse one would have to consider the possibility that there would be more noise and more sounds of consternation in the hive.

It's too cold to open up and looks so for now it remains a mystery. If anyone knows what it might be please please let me know.

Yours thoughtfully

Katherine