Article 32273 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: From: John Caldeira Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping Subject: Re: How do you make a queen excluder? Message-ID: References: <41pefug7jhtq3trj86r6p06njtldrcv69o@4ax.com> <4169b71c.0205311410.34141964@posting.google.com> X-Newsreader: Forte Agent 1.8/32.548 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Lines: 32 Date: Sat, 01 Jun 2002 00:10:11 GMT NNTP-Posting-Host: 4.33.104.98 X-Complaints-To: abuse@earthlink.net X-Trace: newsread2.prod.itd.earthlink.net 1022890211 4.33.104.98 (Fri, 31 May 2002 17:10:11 PDT) NNTP-Posting-Date: Fri, 31 May 2002 17:10:11 PDT Organization: EarthLink Inc. -- http://www.EarthLink.net Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!logbridge.uoregon.edu!news.maxwell.syr.edu!newsfeed-east.nntpserver.com!nntpserver.com!newsfeed2.earthlink.net!newsfeed.earthlink.net!stamper.news.pas.earthlink.net!newsread2.prod.itd.earthlink.net.POSTED!329a47a8!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32273 albert.cannon@lineone.net (albert cannon) wrote: >The idea of pheromones to stop a queen going up into the supers is new >to me > what is the logic behind it, i cant see any..... I'm not sure if anyone really knows WHY a queen tends to lay eggs in a contiguous, somewhat spherical-shaped brood nest and resists crossing a barrier to lay in a separate area, but the fact is that she does. Perhaps it is because the absence of her pheromones in the lower (original) brood area would stimulate the workers to raise queen cells. It certainly is advantageous when cold weather comes and they must cluster on the brood. This tendency allows beekeepers to make an effective queen excluder by putting a thin piece of plastic or wood between the brood box and super, leaving an inch or so on all sides for the worker bees to pass. It's not 100% perfect, and the bees propolize it to the top bars, but works well. No excluder is perfect. The "plain plywood" excluder towards the bottom of this page uses a similar concept: http://website.lineone.net/~dave.cushman/excludertypes.html For historical reference, take a look at the several collateral hives on this page. There is also a box hive and a skep showing supers: http://outdoorplace.org/beekeeping/history1.htm John John Caldeira Dallas, Texas, USA http://www.outdoorplace.org/beekeeping Article 32274 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: From: drazbacj@hotmail.com (Chris Drazba) Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping Subject: Re: How do I get the bees out of the swarm box? JJ - What is compass orientation? Date: 31 May 2002 18:50:22 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com/ Lines: 85 Message-ID: <1cfa704.0205311750.65837b8a@posting.google.com> References: <1kNI8.31734$6v2.1360793@twister.southeast.rr.com> <2j4bfu8ljiknoi7ks5938dvpundsd1jcn9@4ax.com> <3CF665AB.E44EFB16@dcnet2000null.com.> <3brdfucotljjqiivpuup362amnvnqthdet@4ax.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: 208.10.124.141 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-Trace: posting.google.com 1022896222 15675 127.0.0.1 (1 Jun 2002 01:50:23 GMT) X-Complaints-To: groups-abuse@google.com NNTP-Posting-Date: 1 Jun 2002 01:50:23 GMT Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!hammer.uoregon.edu!kant.larc.nasa.gov!logbridge.uoregon.edu!newsfeed.stanford.edu!postnews1.google.com!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32274 The workers tend to build the cells of the comb with a slight up angle (when viewed from the edge of the frame). If you turn the swarm box upside down, the cells will be sloping down hill. Any brood in the comb will hatch, but the queen will be reluctant to lay in the comb that is "upside down" (I imagine laying the swarm box in its side would work too). If you give her drawn combs that are right side up, she will move on to them. Chris Wally wrote in message news:<3brdfucotljjqiivpuup362amnvnqthdet@4ax.com>... > I haven't heard the term compass orientation before. What is it? > > On Thu, 30 May 2002 12:47:23 -0500, Jeremy Goodwin > wrote: > > >Have you tried compass orientation of your hives? > >JJ > > > >Wally wrote: > >> > >> Dave, thank you for the response. When you say to use comb that is > >> normal orientation, do you mean drawn comb in frames spaced out in the > >> super? The swarm box is about 7 feet up in the air on top of the > >> arbor and sitting cockeyed as all get out on the vines that lifted it > >> as they grew. I can cut it loose and lower it down and use spare > >> frames with drawn comb. Is that what you mean? The weather here in > >> western Washington state has turned to rain again, so I've got an > >> excuse to put this off for a bit. > >> Do you think if I put a super in front of the swarm box access and > >> "forced" the bees to travel through the super that they would > >> eventually migrate into it? > >> > >> On Tue, 28 May 2002 15:25:49 GMT, "Dave Green" > >> wrote: > >> > >> > > >> >"Wally" wrote > >> > > >> >> At least 5 years ago I bought a swarm box from Brushy Mountain. I set > >> >> it on top of an arbor that had some small kiwi plants. Nothing the > >> >> first or second year, so I forgot about it. > >> >> > >> >> I was pruning the kiwi's (they have grown immensely) this year and my > >> >> wife commented on all the bees buzzing around the plants. Sure > >> >> enough, the swarm trap is now covered with vines and quite overgrown > >> >> and looks to be full of honeybees. > >> >> > >> >> How do I get them out of a swarm box and into a hive body without > >> >> losing the queen and most of the workers. The hive body can be > >> >> located no more than 50 feet away because of the property size limits. > >> > > >> > You can use an old beekeeper trick to urge them into the box, without a > >> >lot of work on your part of disruption of the hive. Some will tell you to > >> >cut out the comb and tie it into frames. That's too much work for me, and it > >> >demoralizes the bees. I haven't done this with swarm boxes, but have done it > >> >several times with bees that moved into standard boxes without frames, and > >> >from sections of log. > >> > > >> > The secret is this: the queen is reluctant to lay in comb that is not in > >> >normal orientation. Given time, the bees will rip out the comb and rebuild > >> >it to align with the new position, but if there is a box already connected > >> >with it (preferably above it), that has properly oriented comb, the queen > >> >will usually move to it. > >> > > >> > You'll probably have to dig out your box from the kiwifruit vine, set it > >> >alongside for a couple days to allow the bees to reorient. Then turn it > >> >upside down, and figure out a way to hold a deep box of comb directly above > >> >it. Use comb, not foundation, even if you have to buy some from a fellow > >> >beekeeper. Close up the open space as best you can. You can do wonders with > >> >plywood scraps, old shingles or roofing felt and duct tape. > >> > > >> > Once the queen is on the frames of comb (you'll see eggs), separate > >> >them. You can put an excluder on the box with frames, then set the upside > >> >down swarm box on it like a super. That way all your brood will hatch out > >> >normally, and you'll be able then to remove the comb and put on normal > >> >supers. Once the brood is emerged you might just want to put the supers on, > >> >then put the swarm box on top. With this honey way above the brood, they > >> >will tend to move it down closer. You can stimulate this tendency by raking > >> >as much of the capped honey as you can with a capping scratcher. > >> > > >> > Moving to a new site is another issue. Once they are well established, > >> >you can move it three feet every couple days, or move it a couple miles away > >> >for a couple weeks, then move it back to the new spot. Article 32275 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: From: evincill@comcast.net (Eric Vincill) Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping Subject: Re: pheromones Date: 31 May 2002 23:06:01 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com/ Lines: 37 Message-ID: <75213ab.0205312206.5b6730e8@posting.google.com> References: <3CECED9A.30625D9B@ntlworld.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: 68.47.192.11 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-Trace: posting.google.com 1022911562 26624 127.0.0.1 (1 Jun 2002 06:06:02 GMT) X-Complaints-To: groups-abuse@google.com NNTP-Posting-Date: 1 Jun 2002 06:06:02 GMT Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!newshub.sdsu.edu!news-hog.berkeley.edu!ucberkeley!newsfeed.stanford.edu!postnews1.google.com!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32275 I disagree. Hormones are regulatory compounds that affect only the organism which produces it (e.g. testosterone in humans). In contrast, phermones are compounds that are produced in one organism but have effects on other organisms of the same or different species (i.e. mating pheromones). In the case of SMR bees, just because there is reduction or absence of mites in brood larva does not mean a "pheromone" was involved. It could be as simple as the living conditions in SMR hives for mites changed so drastically that it is no longer suitable for them to live there either by, reproduction requirements of the mites, food requirements, or even a behavior/phenotypic modification of the host (i.e. certain genes are being bred into the honeybees that make them more hygenic and thus keep the hive clean and free of mites OR the bees blood is unsuitable to be a food source anymore). This can be seen in other traits like some bees are more prone to excess burr comb and propolis; some bees swarm more than others; some strains of bees are black, yellow, etc.. These are all viable possibilies considering how tightly regulated the relationship between the the honeybee and mite are. Eric in K-town adamf@panix2.panix.com.null (Adam Finkelstein) wrote in message news:... > In article , Tim Arheit wrote: > > > >I've been told by an SMR breader (Ohio Queen breeders) that one > >suspected method of mite control that occurs in the SMR bees is smell > >and or pheromones preventing the mites from choosing/finding the > >host larva or laying their eggs at the correct time. The process by > >which SMR bees control mites isn't understood and this is just one > >possible cause. > > I wonder. I'd think that what makes SMR SMR is more of a hormonal > and not pheromonal disruption by the larva to the mites in the > cell. With Insects though, pheromones and hormones are very analogous. > > More complex animals (like us Mammals) have internal "pheromones": hormones. > Adam Article 32276 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: From: evincill@comcast.net (Eric Vincill) Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping Subject: Re: Ragwort Date: 31 May 2002 23:21:32 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com/ Lines: 31 Message-ID: <75213ab.0205312221.57b28a4d@posting.google.com> References: <3CF2391E.D372D04C@york.ac.uk> <3CF73FD8.DCE17673@york.ac.uk> NNTP-Posting-Host: 68.47.192.11 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-Trace: posting.google.com 1022912492 27259 127.0.0.1 (1 Jun 2002 06:21:32 GMT) X-Complaints-To: groups-abuse@google.com NNTP-Posting-Date: 1 Jun 2002 06:21:32 GMT Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!logbridge.uoregon.edu!newsfeed.stanford.edu!postnews1.google.com!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32276 I was reading a book today (written in the UK) that stated that ragwort is a very early bloomer and if supered AFTER it blooms, then the honey produced from it will only be fed to the bees for spring brood build-up. It also said that the honey was not suitable for human consumption, but did not say anything about its effects of bees. Just a suggestion, and it might not be applicable in your situation, but I thought I would drop a line to let you know what I read. Eric in K-town Paul Waites wrote in message news:<3CF73FD8.DCE17673@york.ac.uk>... > Hi all, > > I didn't realise when I first posted how complex the issue is. Now I think about it > logically of course it is. Honey in itself is such a complex substance and very > variable in composition. > > From my own point of view this is the first time that my bees have been taken from an > urban environment and placed in a fallow field that has quite a lot of ragwort. Up > till now I've just extracted all the honey in one go and made a mix. > > I think that I'll keep and eye for any dark honey and keep it separately. I won't > overreact too much but just be careful and I'll look into this subject more. > > Is it the kind of plant that bees will actively forage for? i.e.: I know that if they > find a field of rape then they seem to take the nectar from that at the exclusion of > all other plants in the vicinity. > > Paul. Article 32277 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: Lines: 33 X-Admin: news@aol.com From: lazurus106@aol.com (Lazurus106) Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping Date: 01 Jun 2002 12:49:17 GMT References: <75213ab.0205312206.5b6730e8@posting.google.com> Organization: AOL http://www.aol.com Subject: SMR Queens Message-ID: <20020601084917.04701.00001659@mb-co.aol.com> Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!nntp.upenn.edu!info1.fnal.gov!newsfeed.stanford.edu!news-spur1.maxwell.syr.edu!news.maxwell.syr.edu!newsfeed1.cidera.com!Cidera!cyclone1.gnilink.net!ngpeer.news.aol.com!audrey05.news.aol.com!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32277 Hi, We picked up a bunch of SMR (Harbo) Queens This spring. Last summer we tried 4 in a couple of differant yards they did extremly well . Building up quickly and even putting out a surplus of honey from midsummer. So we bit the bullet and ordered 130 from Ca..We made splits and put them in during an 80 degree week the middle of april it then went cold and gave us 5 or so weeks of 40 some degree nights and 60-70 degree days here in southern wisconsin. They hung in there and even thrived. We did have about 10 % dud queens who did not lay or so few that they wouldn't work or were not accepted. or disappered? The breeder was very nice and replaced them while the replacements were not SMR's, they were a hygenic line. The SMRS so far this year have been building up quickly and seem to be very sweet tempered these look a lot like new world carneolians in color (dark or black) but the canies can be a little grumpy if you not careful (compared to Italians). The current problem is getting enough of the SMR's produced. The current years queens are the product of "line breeding" not a concept that I am familar with but appearently involves crossing cusin lines and produces some weak individuals. So these are not a good choise for smaller scale beekeepers YET. But they really are looking good maybe next year or a few years down the road. We are also experimenting with drone brood coome and bottom screen boards to reduce mite populations. Both add to the weekly chores. but better than dumping chemicals on the girls. Is anyone aware that apparently there is new regulations comming into affect in september for the organic food that has a standard for organic honey? I have 16 hives on some land that the owners are rasing organic produce and chickens ( durn tasty chickens) was telling me that a bunch of new regulations comming into effect with a standard for organic honey. Chweers, Dave in Madison,WI USA Article 32278 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: From: "Peter Edwards" Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping Subject: Re: Ragwort Date: Sat, 1 Jun 2002 18:16:54 +0100 Lines: 47 Message-ID: References: <3CF2391E.D372D04C@york.ac.uk> <3CF73FD8.DCE17673@york.ac.uk> <75213ab.0205312221.57b28a4d@posting.google.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: modem-930.blastoise.dialup.pol.co.uk X-Trace: news5.svr.pol.co.uk 1022951868 7179 217.135.45.162 (1 Jun 2002 17:17:48 GMT) NNTP-Posting-Date: 1 Jun 2002 17:17:48 GMT X-Complaints-To: abuse@theplanet.net X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.50.4807.1700 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.50.4807.1700 Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!canoe.uoregon.edu!csulb.edu!newshub.sdsu.edu!west.cox.net!cox.net!newspeer1-gui.server.ntli.net!ntli.net!diablo.theplanet.net!news.theplanet.net!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32278 Ragwort blooms late - usually from mid-July through into August. Peter Edwards "Eric Vincill" wrote in message news:75213ab.0205312221.57b28a4d@posting.google.com... > I was reading a book today (written in the UK) that stated that > ragwort is a very early bloomer and if supered AFTER it blooms, then > the honey produced from it will only be fed to the bees for spring > brood build-up. It also said that the honey was not suitable for > human consumption, but did not say anything about its effects of bees. > Just a suggestion, and it might not be applicable in your situation, > but I thought I would drop a line to let you know what I read. > > > > Eric in K-town > > Paul Waites wrote in message news:<3CF73FD8.DCE17673@york.ac.uk>... > > Hi all, > > > > I didn't realise when I first posted how complex the issue is. Now I think about it > > logically of course it is. Honey in itself is such a complex substance and very > > variable in composition. > > > > From my own point of view this is the first time that my bees have been taken from an > > urban environment and placed in a fallow field that has quite a lot of ragwort. Up > > till now I've just extracted all the honey in one go and made a mix. > > > > I think that I'll keep and eye for any dark honey and keep it separately. I won't > > overreact too much but just be careful and I'll look into this subject more. > > > > Is it the kind of plant that bees will actively forage for? i.e.: I know that if they > > find a field of rape then they seem to take the nectar from that at the exclusion of > > all other plants in the vicinity. > > > > Paul. Article 32279 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: From: "Patrick Dugan" Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping Subject: How can you deal with ticks? Date: Sat, 1 Jun 2002 13:09:27 -0500 Organization: netINS, Inc. Lines: 20 Message-ID: NNTP-Posting-Host: tiff-03-179.dialup.netins.net X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2600.0000 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2600.0000 Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!newshub.sdsu.edu!news-spur1.maxwell.syr.edu!news.maxwell.syr.edu!news.netins.net!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32279 I have started two hives (they have been going since late April) and the location of the hives is in an area where there are a lot of ticks. When I go out to check on the bees (even if only for a few minutes) I come back with 30-50 ticks on me. Since I'm wearing full coverage clothes they usually don't make it inside to my skin, but I still have to clean them off my clothes. Since I REALLY hate ticks I need to find a way to deal with them and at the same time not harm/effect the bees. A veterinarian told me I could broadcast "slacked lime sulfur" on the ground around the hives. He said that it would drive away the ticks but wouldn't harm the bees. Has anyone heard of this? Does it work? Article 32280 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: From: bud1941@webtv.net (John Partin) Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping Subject: Re: SMR Queens Date: Sat, 1 Jun 2002 15:30:21 -0400 (EDT) Organization: WebTV Subscriber Lines: 6 Message-ID: <3368-3CF920CD-344@storefull-2295.public.lawson.webtv.net> References: <20020601084917.04701.00001659@mb-co.aol.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: localhost.webtv.net Mime-Version: 1.0 (WebTV) Content-Type: Text/Plain; Charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7Bit X-WebTV-Signature: 1 ETAtAhQQXZMsI5c0HClw3ZcG4elT/5JmjAIVAKrKI0AMO+WBmaaz3QWmzYFP1jbf Content-Disposition: Inline Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!nntp.upenn.edu!newsmi-us.news.garr.it!NewsITBone-GARR!newsfeed.media.kyoto-u.ac.jp!newsfeed.icl.net!kibo.news.demon.net!demon!newsfeed.mathworks.com!news.kjsl.com!news.spies.com!newssorter-2001.public.lawson.webtv.net!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32280 Were these AI queens or open mated queens. I do not understand why hobby keepers should not try SMR queens, it would seem they are the ones to try because they could stand a poor year a lot better than someone who is depending one the bees for making a living. How are your SMRs compared to non SMRs doing. Article 32281 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: From: jrlong@vt.edu (Jerome R. Long) Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping Subject: What Kind of Drone?????? Date: Sat, 1 Jun 2002 20:02:57 +0000 (UTC) Organization: Virginia Tech Lines: 17 Message-ID: NNTP-Posting-Host: h80ad2599.async.vt.edu Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: Text/Plain; charset=US-ASCII X-Trace: solaris.cc.vt.edu 1022961777 5377 128.173.37.153 (1 Jun 2002 20:02:57 GMT) X-Complaints-To: abuse@vt.edu NNTP-Posting-Date: Sat, 1 Jun 2002 20:02:57 +0000 (UTC) X-Newsreader: WinVN 0.99.8 (x86 32bit) Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!canoe.uoregon.edu!logbridge.uoregon.edu!news.maxwell.syr.edu!iad-peer.news.verio.net!news.verio.net!solaris.cc.vt.edu!news.vt.edu!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32281 First let me be sure of one fact. Is it not so that a Queen purchased by mail that comes in the little cage with a half dozen workers and a candy plug has already had her flight with the drones and does not normally leave the hive if successfully introduced to the hive????? If that is correct and one orders a specific kind of queen from a bee company that handles italians, caucasians, starlines, midnights, etc., how in blazes does the supplier assure that the Queen has mated with a drone of the same variety???? And if that is controlled then what is a "Double Midnight-Starline Hybrid" Is that like a Starline Queen mated with Midnight drones or vice versa. And does the queen really need more than one good drone? I would suppose that a bee company that handles only italians just lets the queens fly and take pot luck??? Is that so? If so and the bee company is in the deep American South where Africanized colonies now exist how do you know you are not getting a queen mated with an Africanized drone??? Too many questions, I know...sorry. Article 32282 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: Reply-To: "wuffman" From: "wuffman" Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping Subject: Bee Quick Lines: 9 Organization: http://www.wuffman.com X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2600.0000 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2600.0000 Message-ID: Date: Sat, 01 Jun 2002 20:39:48 GMT NNTP-Posting-Host: 67.227.183.207 X-Complaints-To: abuse@earthlink.net X-Trace: newsread1.prod.itd.earthlink.net 1022963988 67.227.183.207 (Sat, 01 Jun 2002 13:39:48 PDT) NNTP-Posting-Date: Sat, 01 Jun 2002 13:39:48 PDT Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!canoe.uoregon.edu!logbridge.uoregon.edu!news.maxwell.syr.edu!newsfeed-east.nntpserver.com!nntpserver.com!newsfeed2.earthlink.net!newsfeed.earthlink.net!stamper.news.pas.earthlink.net!newsread1.prod.itd.earthlink.net.POSTED!454fbea8!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32282 Has anyone used bee quick to clear the bees from a supper? I just ordered me a smal bottle and thought I would try it to see if it just clears one supper or if the bees would move all the wasy down int ot he deeps... Brian Article 32283 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: From: "Patrick Dugan" Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping Subject: Re: What Kind of Drone?????? Date: Sat, 1 Jun 2002 16:37:29 -0500 Organization: netINS, Inc. Lines: 36 Message-ID: References: NNTP-Posting-Host: tiff-03-179.dialup.netins.net X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2600.0000 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2600.0000 Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!logbridge.uoregon.edu!msc1.onvoy!onvoy.com!news.netins.net!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32283 I'm a novice (really green) but my understanding is the queens are artificially inseminated. I don't think the suppliers would leave those things to chance. "Jerome R. Long" wrote in message news:adb99g$581$1@solaris.cc.vt.edu... > First let me be sure of one fact. Is it not so that a Queen purchased by mail > that comes in the little cage with a half dozen workers and a candy plug has > already had her flight with the drones and does not normally leave the hive if > successfully introduced to the hive????? > If that is correct and one orders a specific kind of queen from a bee company > that handles italians, caucasians, starlines, midnights, etc., how in blazes > does the supplier assure that the Queen has mated with a drone of the same > variety???? And if that is controlled then what is a "Double Midnight-Starline > Hybrid" Is that like a Starline Queen mated with Midnight drones or vice versa. > And does the queen really need more than one good drone? I would suppose that > a bee company that handles only italians just lets the queens fly and take pot > luck??? Is that so? If so and the bee company is in the deep American South > where Africanized colonies now exist how do you know you are not getting a > queen mated with an Africanized drone??? > Too many questions, I know...sorry. > > Article 32284 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: From: albert.cannon@lineone.net (albert cannon) Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping Subject: Re: Weeds round the hives Date: 1 Jun 2002 15:09:36 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com/ Lines: 16 Message-ID: <4169b71c.0206011409.35537e26@posting.google.com> References: <700de225.0205301308.35d37f94@posting.google.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: 62.64.139.33 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-Trace: posting.google.com 1022969376 2666 127.0.0.1 (1 Jun 2002 22:09:36 GMT) X-Complaints-To: groups-abuse@google.com NNTP-Posting-Date: 1 Jun 2002 22:09:36 GMT Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!logbridge.uoregon.edu!newsfeed.stanford.edu!postnews1.google.com!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32284 robkgraham@lineone.net (Rob Graham) wrote in message news:<700de225.0205301308.35d37f94@posting.google.com>... > Has anyone solved the problem of the build up of weeds around hives - > I've always been very wary of using a weed killer close to hives and > using the strimmer is always a bit hazardous without a veil, etc. > > Rob > Edinburgh, Scotland do your strimming at dusk when the bees are all safely in. But I would recommend that you make yourself a stand about 18" high and stand your hive on that.All my hives are on such stands, they consist of two lengths of 3 x 2 X 6feet tied together with batons (any size will do as long as they are all uniform) then they stand on two 9" blocks at either end. This give you plenty of room for any other temporary hives you need to find room for and also when you are manipulating hives there is room for equipment. take care and stay lucky Article 32285 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: Lines: 9 X-Admin: news@aol.com From: beecrofter@aol.com (BeeCrofter) Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping Date: 02 Jun 2002 00:05:31 GMT References: <4169b71c.0206011409.35537e26@posting.google.com> Organization: AOL http://www.aol.com Subject: Re: Weeds round the hives Message-ID: <20020601200531.18817.00001794@mb-cc.aol.com> Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!canoe.uoregon.edu!csulb.edu!newshub.sdsu.edu!news-spur1.maxwell.syr.edu!news.maxwell.syr.edu!newsfeed1.cidera.com!Cidera!ngpeer.news.aol.com!audrey04.news.aol.com!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32285 By the time the weeds are a pain you really need to offset the supers to provide an upper entrance and ventillation reducing traffic/congestion in the brood nest. Article 32286 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: From: "Pavel314" Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping Subject: Bees Ignoring Flowers Lines: 15 X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.00.2314.1300 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.00.2314.1300 X-GC-Trace: gv1-tizG/KAEy5VuDIzq3TFkDUy6pXuAQ7X7OWt Message-ID: NNTP-Posting-Date: Sat, 01 Jun 2002 20:29:58 CDT Organization: Giganews.Com - Premium News Outsourcing X-Trace: sv3-BPru9AG5cek3ljyT/n+7evS8Nsrtx5mSZDFluLozN0qoLiX5vR8FpKaQlab5lbW+qWO+noN5OAw3UyB!fEH5yt7cVVv6mfSFXLGz/ZiiOrnevJ6GnhEDdFgIkafGdUeqqkS7TEoZ4aPcA/C7voqMt75lWDOk!4lRIKGrJlTHMP1M= X-Complaints-To: abuse@comcast.com X-DMCA-Complaints-To: abuse@comcast.com X-Abuse-Info: Please be sure to forward a copy of ALL headers X-Abuse-Info: Otherwise we will be unable to process your complaint properly Date: Sun, 02 Jun 2002 01:29:59 GMT Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!logbridge.uoregon.edu!HSNX.atgi.net!cyclone-sf.pbi.net!151.164.30.35!cyclone.swbell.net!easynews!nntp2.aus1.giganews.com!nntp.giganews.com!nntp3.aus1.giganews.com!bin5.nnrp.aus1.giganews.com.POSTED!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32286 I have two bee hives within twenty feet of my potato patch. I noticed that two rows just blossomed this morning. I was working out in the yard all day and didn't see any bees on the potato flowers; I would have thought they'd be swarming over this convenient flower patch. I've also never seen them on the big rose bush in front of the house or the clover in the orchard. They are coming in and out all day, many with full pollen sacs. Why are they ignoring my local flowers? I was thinking of catching a few in a jar and putting them on the potato flowers and roses, in hopes that they'd go back to the hive and tell their friends. pli Article 32287 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: From: "Muddawg" Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping Subject: Re: What Kind of Drone?????? Date: Sun, 2 Jun 2002 01:10:28 -0500 Organization: Posted via Supernews, http://www.supernews.com Message-ID: References: X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2600.0000 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2600.0000 X-Complaints-To: newsabuse@supernews.com Lines: 19 Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!logbridge.uoregon.edu!newsfeed.stueberl.de!teaser.fr!nerim.net!isdnet!sn-xit-02!sn-post-01!supernews.com!corp.supernews.com!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32287 You can be sure that unless a queen is sold as "artificially inseminated", it is a production queen. The cheapest I have seen artificially inseminated queens is $50 each. Production Queens are "Open-Mated", meaning they mate on the wing with a few to several drones. Mating is controlled as to strain and race by flooding the mating yard with very large numbers of desired drones from drone rearing colonies. This doesn't guarantee that every drone mating with a given queen is the desired strain or race, but greatly limits the possibility of a "wayward" drone. Africanized bees could eventually become a problem for southern package and queen producers since feral colonies generally produce copious supplies of drones, and africanized colonies are extremely prolific swarmers. Hope this has helped. Best Wishes, -- Muddawg Article 32288 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: From: "Jose Matas" Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping References: Subject: Re: My bees left me! Date: Sun, 2 Jun 2002 11:54:24 +0200 Lines: 68 X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2600.0000 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2600.0000 NNTP-Posting-Host: 212.166.159.133 X-Original-NNTP-Posting-Host: 212.166.159.133 Message-ID: <3cf9eb53$1@news.airtel.net> X-Trace: news.airtel.net 1023011667 212.166.159.133 (2 Jun 2002 11:54:27 +0200) Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!newshub.sdsu.edu!news-spur1.maxwell.syr.edu!news.maxwell.syr.edu!npeer.kpnqwest.net!EU.net!news.airtel.net Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32288 It happend to me with set a hives, we painted them and not waited for a prudential dry out. All six left. Further, yesterday I placed a new queen in previously used (few hours) nucleus and they did not want to stay... it seems it was marked with pheremons, they just got out and set just under de hive suport. This morning they accepted the old house without a problem, I wait form them to "mark" it, a few bees should show their behing up "marking" the new site. Best wishes from Mallorca, Spain. Jose Matas. "Ken Bullock" escribió en el mensaje news:WmoJ8.1227$f52.140998@news-nb00s0.nbnet.nb.ca... > I have never heard of that happening before, if the queen was laying she > should not have been able to fly well and would not likely leave. > > I can't imagine what would cause them to leave. I wonder if they left any > brood and honey stock behind. > > I have had hives that the queen died and there was no brood and the bees > still stuck around for the honey stocked up. Go figure.... > > -- > Visit my web site for woodturning Tools, Videos and E-Books > > > > > "Eric Peterson" wrote in message > news:ericgrog-2905022159190001@192.168.0.21... > > I'm a first-time beekeeper and got a new batch of bees (4 lb + queen). I > > followed all the directions and got them into the hive (Pierco black > > plastic frames). A week later they were all seemingly doing well, (though > > I did have to move the hive onto a small table to take care of ants.) > > Weather was beautiful, and the flowers are all blooming (though I also had > > 50% sugar water for them.) > > > > After about 10 days, I wanted to go in and check out the queen. Lo and > > behold, all my bees were gone! Called up the folks that sent my bees to > > me and they said that though it was rare for bees "not to like a hive", it > > wasn't unheard of. > > > > Any other ideas, and or suggestions as to what I can do next year to keep > > this from occuring again?! > > > > Thanks in advance, > > > > Eric > > > > -- > > Eric Peterson > > Camarillo, CA > > ericgrog@yahoo.com Article 32289 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: From: "Teri Bachus" Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping Subject: clash of cultures Date: Sun, 2 Jun 2002 07:47:57 -0400 Organization: Posted via Supernews, http://www.supernews.com Message-ID: <1023018755.178333@savina> X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.00.3018.1300 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.00.3018.1300 X-Complaints-To: newsabuse@supernews.com Lines: 5 Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!logbridge.uoregon.edu!tethys.csu.net!news-hog.berkeley.edu!ucberkeley!nntp-relay.ihug.net!ihug.co.nz!cox.net!sn-xit-06!sn-post-01!supernews.com!corp.supernews.com!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32289 see "CALIFORNIA CULTURES: Almonds succeed where honey fails / Chinese imports rile state's beekeepers" at: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2002/05/28/MN28496.DTL Article 32290 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: From: "Patrick Dugan" Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping Subject: Re: What Kind of Drone?????? Date: Sun, 2 Jun 2002 10:56:19 -0500 Organization: netINS, Inc. Lines: 33 Message-ID: References: NNTP-Posting-Host: tiff-03-027.dialup.netins.net X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2600.0000 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2600.0000 Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!nntp.upenn.edu!info1.fnal.gov!newsfeed.stanford.edu!nntp.cs.ubc.ca!news.UVic.CA!cyclone.bc.net!arclight.uoregon.edu!news.netins.net!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32290 Helps me a lot anyway. I didn't think queens would be mated that way since it is so "chancey" in getting results. I certainly haven't paid $50 for my queens so they must be the "Open-Mated" variety. "Muddawg" wrote in message news:ufjd9n8me7cbd@corp.supernews.com... > You can be sure that unless a queen is sold as "artificially inseminated", > it is a production queen. The cheapest I have seen artificially inseminated > queens is $50 each. > > Production Queens are "Open-Mated", meaning they mate on the wing with a few > to several drones. Mating is controlled as to strain and race by flooding > the mating yard with very large numbers of desired drones from drone rearing > colonies. This doesn't guarantee that every drone mating with a given queen > is the desired strain or race, but greatly limits the possibility of a > "wayward" drone. Africanized bees could eventually become a problem for > southern package and queen producers since feral colonies generally produce > copious supplies of drones, and africanized colonies are extremely prolific > swarmers. Hope this has helped. > > Best Wishes, > -- > Muddawg > > Article 32291 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: From: bee-quick@bee-quick.com Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping Subject: Re: Bee-Quick Date: 2 Jun 2002 09:29:43 -0700 Organization: Newsguy News Service [http://newsguy.com] Lines: 11 Message-ID: NNTP-Posting-Host: p-567.newsdawg.com X-Newsreader: Direct Read News 2.96 Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!logbridge.uoregon.edu!news.maxwell.syr.edu!news.he.net!cyclone-sf.pbi.net!199.106.71.17!pln-w!spln!dex!extra.newsguy.com!newsp.newsguy.com!drn Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32291 Brian: You may want to check out http://www.bee-quick.com for some hints on how to insure that you clear only one super at a time. The main point is to use it sparingly, as we stress here http://www.bee-quick.com/bee-quick/much.html and here http://www.bee-quick.com/bee-quick/use.html Article 32292 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: From: ILLEGAL ENTRY Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping Subject: Bee's Arrested at Border Message-ID: <020620021259320272%illegal@entry.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-transfer-encoding: 8bit User-Agent: YA-NewsWatcher/4.2.5 Lines: 6 Date: Sun, 02 Jun 2002 19:00:13 GMT NNTP-Posting-Host: 161.184.141.129 X-Trace: news1.telusplanet.net 1023044413 161.184.141.129 (Sun, 02 Jun 2002 13:00:13 MDT) NNTP-Posting-Date: Sun, 02 Jun 2002 13:00:13 MDT Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!canoe.uoregon.edu!logbridge.uoregon.edu!sunqbc.risq.qc.ca!newsfeed.telusplanet.net!news1.telusplanet.net.POSTED!53ab2750!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32292 Just watched a Canadian newscast where they mentioned that a shipment of about 230 bees was stopped at a small border crossing and the Canadian Bee keeper ( farmer ) charged under various Canadian laws. Turns out this is the second time in recent weeks that a shipment of Bees has been confiscated in Western Canada. Article 32293 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: From: albert.cannon@lineone.net (albert cannon) Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping Subject: Re: Bees Ignoring Flowers Date: 2 Jun 2002 12:22:13 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com/ Lines: 20 Message-ID: <4169b71c.0206021122.7cb3ca6e@posting.google.com> References: NNTP-Posting-Host: 62.64.151.230 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-Trace: posting.google.com 1023045733 23966 127.0.0.1 (2 Jun 2002 19:22:13 GMT) X-Complaints-To: groups-abuse@google.com NNTP-Posting-Date: 2 Jun 2002 19:22:13 GMT Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!logbridge.uoregon.edu!newsfeed.stanford.edu!postnews1.google.com!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32293 "Pavel314" wrote in message news:... > I have two bee hives within twenty feet of my potato patch. I noticed that > two rows just blossomed this morning. I was working out in the yard all day > and didn't see any bees on the potato flowers; I would have thought they'd > be swarming over this convenient flower patch. > > I've also never seen them on the big rose bush in front of the house or the > clover in the orchard. They are coming in and out all day, many with full > pollen sacs. > Why are they ignoring my local flowers? I was thinking of catching a few in > a jar and putting them on the potato flowers and roses, in hopes that they'd > go back to the hive and tell their friends. > > pli Bees will always go to the flowers that give the most nectar, perhaps your local flowers dont oblige? Clover needs about 70 degrees to give a nectar flow sufficient for the bees to work it, hows the temperature where you are? is it white or red clover? I have never heard of bees working potatoes. take care and stay lucky Article 32294 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: From: "Ken Bullock" Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping References: <020620021259320272%illegal@entry.com> Subject: Re: Bee's Arrested at Border Lines: 20 X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2600.0000 X-MIMEOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2600.0000 Message-ID: <9HuK8.2901$f52.317298@news-nb00s0.nbnet.nb.ca> Date: Sun, 02 Jun 2002 19:51:33 GMT NNTP-Posting-Host: 198.164.251.11 X-Complaints-To: abuse@nbnet.nb.ca X-Trace: news-nb00s0.nbnet.nb.ca 1023047493 198.164.251.11 (Sun, 02 Jun 2002 16:51:33 ADT) NNTP-Posting-Date: Sun, 02 Jun 2002 16:51:33 ADT Organization: NBTel Internet Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!logbridge.uoregon.edu!sunqbc.risq.qc.ca!torn!news-nb00s0.nbnet.nb.ca!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32294 We (Canadians that is) are not even allowed to transport bees to certian other provinces. Crossing the US border with bees is a serious offence aswell..... Ken... -- Visit my web site for woodturning Tools, Videos and E-Books "ILLEGAL ENTRY" wrote in message news:020620021259320272%illegal@entry.com... > Just watched a Canadian newscast where they mentioned that a > shipment of about 230 bees was stopped at a small border > crossing and the Canadian Bee keeper ( farmer ) charged > under various Canadian laws. Turns out this is the second > time in recent weeks that a shipment of Bees has been > confiscated in Western Canada. Article 32295 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: Newsgroups: alt.hobbies.beekeeping,sci.agriculture.beekeeping From: Billy Smart Subject: Re: The Continuing Adventures of a Rookie and his Bees X-Nntp-Posting-Host: rs498032.ks.boeing.com Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Message-ID: <3CFA7742.1838F06E@boeing.com> Sender: nntp@news.boeing.com (Boeing NNTP News Access) Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Organization: The Boeing Company X-Accept-Language: en References: Mime-Version: 1.0 Date: Sun, 2 Jun 2002 19:51:30 GMT X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.76 [en] (X11; U; AIX 4.3) Lines: 16 Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!logbridge.uoregon.edu!newsfeed.stanford.edu!paloalto-snf1.gtei.net!news.gtei.net!enews.sgi.com!news-out.spamkiller.net!propagator2-la!propagator-la!news-in.superfeed.net!news-in-la.newsfeeds.com!sea-feed.news.verio.net!xyzzy!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu alt.hobbies.beekeeping:446 sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32295 Don, You didn't mention brood. You should be on the lookout for eggs and larva in the cells, and at the entrance, bees carrying in pollen to feed brood. This is the ultimate sign that your hive is on track. If your swarm was a primary one, you should see eggs in the cells within a week of hiving them. An after-swarm with a virgin queen can take over two weeks. If you find healthy eggs and larva, it isn't necessary to find the queen to know she's there. Regards, Billy Smart Rock, KS Article 32296 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: Lines: 23 X-Admin: news@aol.com From: lazurus106@aol.com (Lazurus106) Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping Date: 02 Jun 2002 20:13:08 GMT References: <3368-3CF920CD-344@storefull-2295.public.lawson.webtv.net> Organization: AOL http://www.aol.com Subject: Re: SMR Queens Message-ID: <20020602161308.20042.00001685@mb-mc.aol.com> Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!logbridge.uoregon.edu!netnews.com!xfer02.netnews.com!iad-peer.news.verio.net!news.verio.net!nntp1.roc.gblx.net!nntp.gblx.net!nntp.gblx.net!ngpeer.news.aol.com!audrey05.news.aol.com!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32296 Hi, lets see if I can get this answered. The cost of 130 queens with shipping was over $1300 or around a ten spot each Cheap AI queens cost at least $50 each or $6,500. Expensive ones average $200 each or would have been $26,000 and AI's have a high incidense (from my reading ) of damage while being inseminated (like 30-50%.) So like most things if the question is why did they do that, money is likely to be the answer! Someone with two or three hives is less likely to experiment with there entire production (at least it would seem to me). That I'm enough of a nut to try the new scientific approaches should be apparent. Please don't think if you wish you shouldn't take these chances. just its still a risky business. It is still much to early to say one way or the other. Honey production is only one factor for us. Others being surviving Wisconsin winters . Mite resistance and diseace resistance. With there natural hygenic behavor of the cariolians and there natural handling of AFB and EFB. Adding mite resistance is a big plus. Now if they can learn to handle mites and small hive bettels maybe we can get rid of all the damn drugs and chemicals. Cheers, Dave In Madison,WI USA Article 32297 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: From: Don Bruder Newsgroups: alt.hobbies.beekeeping,sci.agriculture.beekeeping Subject: Re: The Continuing Adventures of a Rookie and his Bees Organization: Chaotic Creations Unlimited References: <3CFA7742.1838F06E@boeing.com> User-Agent: MT-NewsWatcher/3.1 (PPC) Lines: 90 Message-ID: Date: Sun, 02 Jun 2002 21:27:01 GMT NNTP-Posting-Host: 209.204.149.215 X-Complaints-To: abuse@sonic.net X-Trace: typhoon.sonic.net 1023053221 209.204.149.215 (Sun, 02 Jun 2002 14:27:01 PDT) NNTP-Posting-Date: Sun, 02 Jun 2002 14:27:01 PDT Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!canoe.uoregon.edu!logbridge.uoregon.edu!netnews.com!xfer02.netnews.com!newsfeed1.cidera.com!Cidera!feed.news.sonic.net!typhoon.sonic.net!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu alt.hobbies.beekeeping:447 sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32297 In article <3CFA7742.1838F06E@boeing.com>, Billy Smart wrote: > Don, > > You didn't mention brood. You should be on the lookout for eggs and > larva in the cells, and at the entrance, bees carrying in pollen to feed > brood. This is the ultimate sign that your hive is on track. If your > swarm was a primary one, you should see eggs in the cells within a week > of hiving them. An after-swarm with a virgin queen can take over two > weeks. > > If you find healthy eggs and larva, it isn't necessary to find the queen > to know she's there. At the time I wrote that message, I saw no sign of eggs or larvae, just bees and bees and bees, and a few more bees :) Some (not all, but at least a few) of the foragers that are going out are returning with loads of pollen in their baskets, but that's been the case since the morning after I got the swarm into the hive. It's been a full week now, so I imagine it's time for me to lift the lid again, and see if I can spot some "propogation" going on. I'll be holding out for another couple of days, though. Monday is payday, and I plan on heading over to the next town, where there's a Dadant shop, and getting basic gear. I also want to get some different foundation - What I've got in the frames right now is a mixture of some sort of evil white plastic (not full plastic cell comb, but definitely a heavy plastic base) and old duragilt that's heat-warped out of shape. The hive, as mentioned, came from a retired fellow, and it was a "Hey, what's the story on that batch of hives witting there on the edge of the field? They look pretty abandoned, other than the one there on the end with bees around it. Would you mind if I take some home with this load of hay I'm getting from you?" situation. They'd been sitting there on the edge of his alfalfa field since a month or two after the near-fatal reaction he had (3-4 years before), slowly trying to weather away. I took apart several of the obviously uninhabited ones, sorted out the best woodenware I could find and fit into the cab of the truck with me, and ended up with a single good bottom (base plus deep body nailed together) another good deep body, 20-odd frames that were decent, other than the comb basically being heat-slumped down into a nasty looking wad of slag at the bottom of each side, and a cover. Figured that was plenty to get my feet wet. Brought everything home, scraped and hot-watered the melted wax away, took a blowtorch to the inside of the bodies and base to kill any potential "leftover yuck" that might have arrived during the years that they'd been sitting idle, and basically did the best job I could of getting the stuff usable again. That was just over a year ago. I've been trying to catch up with a swarm ever since, but the feral colony in the oak tree out back just hasn't been cooperating... It's been throwing good-sized swarms on a fairly regular basis for the last 3 years that I know about, and perhaps longer before I actually noticed it was there. But until last week, not a one of them that I've spotted has been anywhere even *SORT OF* approaching "reachable". There've been swarms I've watched come out of that tree that have settled 3-4 branches over from where the main colony is (About 30 feet off the ground in an ancient live-oak tree - Trust those for climbing around in *ALMOST* as far as you can spit, if you value your life) They've slid over a couple of trees and parked there for a time, 30-40 feet in the air, they've boiled out of the colony and vanished over the ridge, never to be heard from again, they've settled on the end of the TV antenna's boom (about 8 feet away from the tower, which is 30 or so feet high) Basically, they've settled all over the place, but none of those places has been accessible until last weekend when they picked a manzanita bush near my horse's pen. Anyway, once get over to Dadant and I've got at least a decent veil, I'll feel a *LOT* better about lifting the lid and pulling frames. So far, either the bees have been exceptionally docile, I've been exceptionally lucky, or (swelled head alert!!!) I'm a natural as a beekeeper. :) I don't know which, it is, or if it's a combination, but so far, I've had no offers to sting me. They've been very tolerant of my fumblings, including the incident yseterday where I managed to lose my grip on the feeder bottle and drop it on the top of the hive. They made some seriously grumpy noise for a half minute or so, and several came to check me out, but apparently decided I wasn't a threat. (thankfully... Being the fool I am, and figuring "I'm just filling the syrup bottle - I don't need to "get dressed" for an operation THAT simple", I was wearing nothing but jeans, a T-shirt and a black baseball cap) After they buzzed around me for a minute or so, it was "back to business" for them. Meanwhile, I was wondering how I'd managed to get away with it! :) All's well that ends well, I guess. :) -- Don Bruder - dakidd@sonic.net <--- Preferred Email - unmunged I will choose a path that's clear: I will choose Free Will! - N. Peart Notice: My former ( dakidd@primenet.com / Dakidd@aaahawk.com ) addresses are now defunct. Mail sent to either address WILL NOT BE SEEN. Article 32298 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: From: robkgraham@lineone.net (Rob Graham) Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping Subject: Re: Weeds round the hives Date: 2 Jun 2002 15:11:38 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com/ Lines: 19 Message-ID: <700de225.0206021411.1bb3fbbe@posting.google.com> References: <4169b71c.0206011409.35537e26@posting.google.com> <20020601200531.18817.00001794@mb-cc.aol.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: 80.225.9.79 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-Trace: posting.google.com 1023055898 31571 127.0.0.1 (2 Jun 2002 22:11:38 GMT) X-Complaints-To: groups-abuse@google.com NNTP-Posting-Date: 2 Jun 2002 22:11:38 GMT Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!canoe.uoregon.edu!logbridge.uoregon.edu!newsfeed.stanford.edu!postnews1.google.com!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32298 beecrofter@aol.com (BeeCrofter) wrote in message news:<20020601200531.18817.00001794@mb-cc.aol.com>... > By the time the weeds are a pain you really need to offset the supers to > provide an upper entrance and ventillation reducing traffic/congestion in the > brood nest. Well obviously nobody is supportive of using a weed killer, that's sure. The sitation isn't made any easier by having smallish garde and the hives are placed against the fence into a totally unused and unmaintained field. I weed kill the rest of the boundary but in front of the hives its a mess and unfortunately there's a climbing weed that takes over the fence as well. Raising the hives won't really work nor slabs in this circumstance - so it'll just have to be the strimmer. I've never heard of off-setting the supers - is this something which is viable in Scotland with our unpredicatable weather ? Rob Article 32299 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: From: fcooke@lineone.net (Freddie Cooke) Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping Subject: UK beekeeper - 19queen cells over 5 frames? Date: 2 Jun 2002 15:37:12 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com/ Lines: 8 Message-ID: <1b093a58.0206021437.487d383f@posting.google.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: 62.64.160.3 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-Trace: posting.google.com 1023057432 32716 127.0.0.1 (2 Jun 2002 22:37:12 GMT) X-Complaints-To: groups-abuse@google.com NNTP-Posting-Date: 2 Jun 2002 22:37:12 GMT Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!newshub.sdsu.edu!news-hog.berkeley.edu!ucberkeley!newsfeed.stanford.edu!postnews1.google.com!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32299 I found nineteen queen cells in various stages of construction over five brood frames today. Two of them have opened recently, (they still have flaps attached}, and another three are still sealed. Does this mean that they have been formed after the emergence of previous queens? Am I right in supposing that this indicates a propensity to swarm. Am I also right to be surprised at the number of cells formed in just sixteen days since last checking the brood chamber? Article 32300 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: Lines: 8 X-Admin: news@aol.com From: timmdwill@aol.com (Timmdwill) Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping Date: 02 Jun 2002 22:38:06 GMT Organization: AOL http://www.aol.com Subject: Foundation and extra entrances Message-ID: <20020602183806.28230.00001459@mb-mh.aol.com> Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!canoe.uoregon.edu!logbridge.uoregon.edu!gestalt.direcpc.com!news.stealth.net!news.stealth.net!ngpeer.news.aol.com!audrey05.news.aol.com!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32300 #1. What is the best foundation to use if you plan on using an extractor? #2. Someone mentioned an extra entrance at the top of the second story brood box for winter ventilation, to control heat and humidity, where does it go and how big, also would this make a good secondary entrance when there is a flow on? Julie W. Article 32301 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: From: "The Rock Garden" Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping References: <20020523193458.12046.00000459@mb-fe.aol.com> Subject: Re: Lawn care - was Bumblebees and tomato pollination Lines: 93 X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.50.4133.2400 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.50.4133.2400 Message-ID: <0JAK8.99852$Kp.10294567@bin7.nnrp.aus1.giganews.com> NNTP-Posting-Date: Sun, 02 Jun 2002 21:43:08 CDT Organization: Giganews.Com - Premium News Outsourcing X-Trace: sv3-6qb0gEJO0jaaHQI/WoewdKuzuKGxpF+kvMCsnck/ZVDBxI04S6ChbZqP8KeCno6/8SHFFWUSLlupDuh!X6HKEkcYYZNWibZcZnDHsVj2S0jNbgmXOyKSq9Flh23b6oS1HC3l3t0/Xh1OVqa0+/sg3Qf5p2e8!8/n6JIGAoUWU X-Complaints-To: abuse@GigaNews.Com X-DMCA-Notifications: http://www.giganews.com/info/dmca.html X-Abuse-Info: Please be sure to forward a copy of ALL headers X-Abuse-Info: Otherwise we will be unable to process your complaint properly Date: Mon, 03 Jun 2002 02:43:08 GMT Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!canoe.uoregon.edu!logbridge.uoregon.edu!newsfeed.media.kyoto-u.ac.jp!border1.nntp.aus1.giganews.com!nntp.giganews.com!nntp3.aus1.giganews.com!bin7.nnrp.aus1.giganews.com.POSTED!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32301 "Dave Green" > Tomatoes are pollinated by motion, which can be supplied by wind or > humans using vibrators. But a sonicating bee is the best tomato pollinator > of all. In its native range in South America the wild progenitor of the > tomato was buzz pollinated, but the species of bee was not carried around > the world along with the tomato plants. It's sonication frequency was > perfect for maximum pollen release. > > Bumblebees, however do a creditable job of buzz pollinating. They hang > from the flower (which bends into a perfect position for pollen release) and > vibrate their wing muscles without flying. This is called sonication. > Honeybees have been known to sonicate on rare occasions, but they don't > commonly do it at all. > > Tomato stamens do not have the pollen at the surface of the anthers like > most flowers. The pollen is inside, and it requires motion to release it > thru pores in the anther. > Tomato pollination graphics: http://www.pollinator.com/tomato.htm Thanks Dave. It's nice to learn all folk lore isn't gospel, especially when you can back it up with facts. Since you're back on line for a while perhaps we can finish up a thread that was started over on misc.rural a while back, but never tied up. I forget all the details, but someone asked about spraying pesticides and you made your usual excellent reply in regards to protecting the bees. I posted a query, meant for you to run with, about how best to control dandelions and clover in lawns without harming the bees, but evidently about that time you decided to go fishing as you never posted a reply. How 'bout it? What advice do you (or anyone else) have for the average home owner who isn't willing to live with the dandelions and/or clover in the lawn and isn't about to dig them out by hand, but is willing to be educated as to how he/she can get rid of it without killing off the bees? Skip Skip & Christy Hensler THE ROCK GARDEN Newport, WA http://www.povn.com/rock/ Article 32302 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: Reply-To: "wuffman" From: "wuffman" Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping Subject: MY FREE BEES Lines: 21 Organization: http://www.wuffman.com X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2600.0000 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2600.0000 Message-ID: Date: Mon, 03 Jun 2002 06:12:52 GMT NNTP-Posting-Host: 67.227.197.199 X-Complaints-To: abuse@earthlink.net X-Trace: newsread2.prod.itd.earthlink.net 1023084772 67.227.197.199 (Sun, 02 Jun 2002 23:12:52 PDT) NNTP-Posting-Date: Sun, 02 Jun 2002 23:12:52 PDT Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!news.umass.edu!news-out.cwix.com!newsfeed.cwix.com!newsfeed1.cidera.com!Cidera!novia!novia!newsfeed2.earthlink.net!newsfeed.earthlink.net!stamper.news.pas.earthlink.net!newsread2.prod.itd.earthlink.net.POSTED!454fbea8!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32302 Well the free bee swarm that moved into the hive that I was not ready to use 2 weeks ago I took 2 of the westerns ( 6 5/8 supers) off and shook almost all the bees out and then set the 2 nearly empty westerns near the front entrance so the straglers could go find the rest of the brood.. Well finaly one of them is empty and I moved it far far far away from the rest of the bees, other than an ocastional bee buzzing aroung it no one seems interested except the ants... ( im not sure twhat to do about them) the other western still had 4 frames packed with bees now so I decided to try a experiment ( well to me its an experiment) I put this western on top of the empty hive and puffed a few bellows of smoke over them, I left the top cover off for the rest of the day and went back after dark and covered them up, I took the sgeestion of using match sticks to help them gets some ventalation, I also stuck a entrance feeded at the front door... hopefully they will find their way to it and empty it quickly, the other hive is going through surip like its gold, about 1 quart a day, if its raining out ive seen it empty 2 in a day... Brian Article 32303 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: Reply-To: "wuffman" From: "wuffman" Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping Subject: Feeders Lines: 14 Organization: http://www.wuffman.com X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2600.0000 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2600.0000 Message-ID: Date: Mon, 03 Jun 2002 06:15:50 GMT NNTP-Posting-Host: 67.227.197.199 X-Complaints-To: abuse@earthlink.net X-Trace: newsread2.prod.itd.earthlink.net 1023084950 67.227.197.199 (Sun, 02 Jun 2002 23:15:50 PDT) NNTP-Posting-Date: Sun, 02 Jun 2002 23:15:50 PDT Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!logbridge.uoregon.edu!news.maxwell.syr.edu!newsfeed-east.nntpserver.com!nntpserver.com!newsfeed2.earthlink.net!newsfeed.earthlink.net!stamper.news.pas.earthlink.net!newsread2.prod.itd.earthlink.net.POSTED!454fbea8!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32303 I was wondering what people here thought about feeders, How do you make your suyup? I was told 1:1 sugar water but it seems to runny for me... I am using some that was given to me and its almost all gone.... I have 2 entrance feeders, on the new hive I stuck it in the entrance, on the swared hive I put it up on top cause there is a ton of traffic in and out so I felt they may need the most space... once hive #2 getts larger I will move theirs to the top.... Brian Article 32304 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: From: bud1941@webtv.net (John Partin) Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping Subject: Re: SMR Queens Date: Mon, 3 Jun 2002 04:48:35 -0400 (EDT) Organization: WebTV Subscriber Lines: 13 Message-ID: <14657-3CFB2D63-593@storefull-2294.public.lawson.webtv.net> References: <20020602161308.20042.00001685@mb-mc.aol.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: localhost.webtv.net Mime-Version: 1.0 (WebTV) Content-Type: Text/Plain; Charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7Bit X-WebTV-Signature: 1 ETAtAhUAyD6+xWr5klAFXzKbBu3AAzTXgakCFFS2Zu+H0yZ93ajJ3UlO6Aq5912d Content-Disposition: Inline Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!logbridge.uoregon.edu!news.uchicago.edu!yellow.newsread.com!bad-news.newsread.com!netaxs.com!newsread.com!news.dra.com!news.mainstreet.net!paloalto-snf1.gtei.net!news.gtei.net!webtv.net!newssorter-2001.public.lawson.webtv.net!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32304 Looks like to me you are risking some where around $13000 or what the hives should make if given proven type queens. This would be compared to $20 a hobby keeper would risk if they had four hives and put two SMR in two of them. I think it is great that you are trying so many it will sure make up your mind one way or another. $13000 is a goodly sum to most of us bee keepers. The things I would like to know is will lay real good patterns, will they accept a cell good, and will they fight AFB good, I can handle the other problems. Keep us informed on how they are doing, It is beekeepers like you that I like to here from. If you can make it work I might try it. Article 32305 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: From: drezac@greenapple.com (Duane Rezac) Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping Subject: Advice on Re-Queening Date: 3 Jun 2002 04:18:25 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com/ Lines: 37 Message-ID: <7ec141c5.0206030318.372fbb2c@posting.google.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: 4.18.4.233 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-Trace: posting.google.com 1023103105 1019 127.0.0.1 (3 Jun 2002 11:18:25 GMT) X-Complaints-To: groups-abuse@google.com NNTP-Posting-Date: 3 Jun 2002 11:18:25 GMT Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!logbridge.uoregon.edu!newsfeed.stanford.edu!postnews1.google.com!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32305 Here's my problem - I was attempting to start a split for my son from my hive and during the process it looks like I must have rolled my queen. Our local inspector was out and on his report noted that there was no sign of a queen in the hive (I thought he was refering to the split nuc, since I had just checked it a few days before, and found no sign of a queen). I decided to try again, and when I checked my hive last night to look for a frame of uncapped brood, I found that he was refering to my hive - no sign of brood in any stage, anywhere in the hive. I'm working on getting 2 queens sometime this week, one for the nuc (where I'm certain there is no queen), and one for my hive (I'm not sure the queen I had was that good anyway, the brood pattern this year was not that good, and their not drawing good comb). My hive has a few empty queen cells, but no sign of a laying queen. I'm not too worried about re-queening the nuc, as they never really had a queen, but would like any advice on how to proceed with my hive. Most postings I have read suggest having brood, but I don't have any at all in this hive (but I might "steal" a frame from my other son's hive if I must, but I'd rather not take the chance of rolling another queen right now). Any suggenstions? Thanks. Duane Rezac drezac@greenapple.com Article 32306 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: From: "Steve Hagerty" Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping Subject: Beekeeping questions Date: Mon, 3 Jun 2002 06:24:39 -0500 Organization: http://extra.newsguy.com Lines: 21 Message-ID: NNTP-Posting-Host: p-145.newsdawg.com X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2600.0000 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2600.0000 Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!logbridge.uoregon.edu!pln-e!spln!dex!extra.newsguy.com!newsp.newsguy.com!enews2 Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32306 This spring I split my hives and requeened all from Italian to the Carnolian. I find that the Carnolians have less of the varroa mites, actually I have not seen any. They seem cleaner. Now to my questions. 1. Some of my hives have full brood chambers, do I need to split them up again? Would I be better off adding another brood chamber and let them work on it, moving some of the brood into the newly added one? 2. I heard that the Carnolians were succeptible to swarming, but I didn't realize that they were this bad. It seems that every time I go in it them, I'm finding queen cells in the making which I remove. It doesn't seem to matter whether they have plenty of room or not. Is there any way to curb this? 3. The honey flow seems to be over for the most part, do I need to remove all empty supers even though they're not filled? I've noticed that bees are starting to gnaw on the foundation that hasn't been worked out. None of my hives have a full super on them, is this normal after splitting? They started out with about 3-4 frames of brood each in the beginning. By the way, I'm in Tennessee. Thanks for your help Steve Article 32307 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: Lines: 13 X-Admin: news@aol.com From: beecrofter@aol.com (BeeCrofter) Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping Date: 03 Jun 2002 12:19:34 GMT References: <700de225.0206021411.1bb3fbbe@posting.google.com> Organization: AOL http://www.aol.com Subject: Re: Weeds round the hives Message-ID: <20020603081934.25288.00002381@mb-fz.aol.com> Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!canoe.uoregon.edu!csulb.edu!newshub.sdsu.edu!news-spur1.maxwell.syr.edu!news.maxwell.syr.edu!newsfeed1.cidera.com!Cidera!ngpeer.news.aol.com!audrey05.news.aol.com!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32307 >I've never heard of off-setting the supers - is this something which >is viable in Scotland with our unpredicatable weather ? > All you do is pull the first super back 3/4 " and it provides an entrance across the top of the brood chamber. Who has predictable weather? Article 32308 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: Lines: 11 X-Admin: news@aol.com From: beecrofter@aol.com (BeeCrofter) Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping Date: 03 Jun 2002 12:25:32 GMT References: Organization: AOL http://www.aol.com Subject: Re: Beekeeping questions Message-ID: <20020603082532.25288.00002382@mb-fz.aol.com> Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!canoe.uoregon.edu!csulb.edu!newshub.sdsu.edu!news-spur1.maxwell.syr.edu!news.maxwell.syr.edu!newsfeed1.cidera.com!Cidera!ngpeer.news.aol.com!audrey05.news.aol.com!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32308 I have been trying out carnis and they sure build up fast in the spring. Two of my swarms filled a medium super each in about 9 days. For swarm control you need to keep congestion in the brood nest to a minimum. This means drawn comb for the bees to lay in and drawn comb in supers. Article 32309 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: From: "BeeFarmer" Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping Subject: Re: How do you make a queen excluder? Date: Mon, 3 Jun 2002 15:17:28 -0400 Organization: Kids getting involved with Beekeeping Lines: 112 Message-ID: References: <01RJ8.1931$f52.217818@news-nb00s0.nbnet.nb.ca> Reply-To: "BeeFarmer" NNTP-Posting-Host: 63.100.169.66 X-Trace: fu-berlin.de 1023131851 34417349 63.100.169.66 (16 [66812]) X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2600.0000 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2600.0000 Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!logbridge.uoregon.edu!fu-berlin.de!uni-berlin.de!63.100.169.66!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32309 Ken, I was just interested to hear what you had to say about QE and bees not tending to move up. As there are many ways to manipulate them to work for you other than Honey Excluders. I noticed your name appear in April as what appeared to be a new beekeeper with questions about making a split. Are your hives built up enough for your bees to be moving up into supers? You mention you were splitting your one hive into 3 nucs in your message and you were awaiting some more nucs to arrive. I wouldn't count them out as there are just as many reason to use them as I am sure there are to not use them. Some folks will let their bees move up into the supers and once working the supers will verify that there isn't a queen up in them then put the excluder on. Others may tell you to put the excluder on the opposite way that it is design which will leave the front and rear of the hive open... saying that the queen will not move up the sides... In this case there are many ways to skin a cat. OhioBeeFarmer Getting kids involved in Beekeeping http://www.homestead.com/BeeKeepers/BeesRUs.html http://www.homestead.com/BeeKeepers/Opening.html "Ken Bullock" wrote in message news:01RJ8.1931$f52.217818@news-nb00s0.nbnet.nb.ca... > Beefarmer, I don't mean to sound like I know anything about bees, except for > what I have read and been told. I have little experiance with them and I am > a complete novice. I only write any comments I might have to be helpful and > voice only my opinion. > > I have been making my living making wooden bowls for the last 10 years and > still don't consider myself an expert because all I know is what works for > me. > > I only have 9 hives and the ones with extruders have no bees in the top > super and the foundation is untouched. The ones without the extruders are > 1/4 full and the foundation is well built up. All hives came from the same > source. In my observation hive I have never spotted the queen on the second > or third frame, she is on the bottom frame exclusively. > > So, I know not what I is right or wrong, just what I have seen and > experianced. As with most thing there is no right or wrong, but rather what > works for you ....... Cheers... Ken....... > > -- > Visit my web site for woodturning Tools, Videos and E-Books > > > > > "BeeFarmer" wrote in message > news:ad7o0k$urn7n$1@ID-66812.news.dfncis.de... > > Ken your advice is rather pointed how long have you NOT been using Queen > > Excluders in comparison to Using Queen Excluders for comparison that makes > > you feel bees tend not to bother going up through them unless they have > to. > > > > -- > > OhioBeeFarmer > > Getting kids involved in Beekeeping > > http://www.homestead.com/BeeKeepers/BeesRUs.html > > http://www.homestead.com/BeeKeepers/Opening.html > > > > > > > > "Ken Bullock" wrote in message > > news:hvIJ8.1670$f52.194207@news-nb00s0.nbnet.nb.ca... > > > I don't think you could make them for what they cost to buy. Then you > > would > > > have to be certian that you had the correct diamention, hard to do in > wood > > > or wire. For 2 or 3 dollars, you might just as well buy one. > > > > > > I personnally don't use them, as the bees tend not to bother going up > > > through them unless they have to.... Ken... > > > > > > -- > > > Visit my web site for woodturning Tools, Videos and E-Books > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > "rad0" wrote in message > > > news:ad7ab3$uor$1@slb7.atl.mindspring.net... > > > > Hello, > > > > > > > > I want to make a queen barrier between the brood > > > > chamber and the honey chamber. How are these > > > > made? What dimensions or diameters for the > > > > holes are needed? Do you normally make a slotted thing > > > > or a board with a bunch of holes, or what? > > > > > > > > And what material is best? Does it have to be wooden so the > > > > bees can grab onto it? Or is plastic OK? > > > > > > > > Thanks > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Article 32310 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: From: albert.cannon@lineone.net (albert cannon) Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping Subject: Re: UK beekeeper - 19queen cells over 5 frames? Date: 3 Jun 2002 15:21:34 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com/ Lines: 19 Message-ID: <4169b71c.0206031421.1be996e9@posting.google.com> References: <1b093a58.0206021437.487d383f@posting.google.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: 212.159.190.108 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-Trace: posting.google.com 1023142895 2000 127.0.0.1 (3 Jun 2002 22:21:35 GMT) X-Complaints-To: groups-abuse@google.com NNTP-Posting-Date: 3 Jun 2002 22:21:35 GMT Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!newshub.sdsu.edu!news-hog.berkeley.edu!ucberkeley!newsfeed.stanford.edu!postnews1.google.com!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32310 fcooke@lineone.net (Freddie Cooke) wrote in message news:<1b093a58.0206021437.487d383f@posting.google.com>... > I found nineteen queen cells in various stages of construction over > five brood frames today. Two of them have opened recently, (they > still have flaps attached}, and another three are still sealed. Does > this mean that they have been formed after the emergence of previous > queens? > Am I right in supposing that this indicates a propensity to swarm. Am > I also right to be surprised at the number of cells formed in just > sixteen days since last checking the brood chamber? We had a similar thing at our branch apiary in north devon last week. we normally check our hives on a weekly basis but were delayed by bad weather for one week. when we were cutting out the not wanted sealed queen cells they were hatching out and running over our hands, thats not often seen. We dont normally get a lot of swarming but it does happen if you dont keep an eye on them about this time of the year.. It just proves that sixteen day inspections are too long at swarming time. Article 32311 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: From: nucskep@yahoo.com (Nuc Skep) Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping Subject: Oxalic Acid- a bit more info Date: 3 Jun 2002 16:05:30 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com/ Lines: 19 Message-ID: <9936fa52.0206031505.4c7eb72f@posting.google.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: 208.193.167.102 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-Trace: posting.google.com 1023145530 4187 127.0.0.1 (3 Jun 2002 23:05:30 GMT) X-Complaints-To: groups-abuse@google.com NNTP-Posting-Date: 3 Jun 2002 23:05:30 GMT Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!logbridge.uoregon.edu!newsfeed.stanford.edu!postnews1.google.com!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32311 A few folks have asked in the past where they can buy Oxalic Acid in the US. Here's one source I checked out. Go to an auto parts store and look for Prestone(R) Heavy Duty Cooling System Cleaner. It's a dry crystal product, packaged in a can. (Yellow, of course.) You open one end and there is Oxalic Acid crystals. The other end has sodium carbonate neutralizer. I went to the Prestone web site and requested the MSDS sheets. It shows the acid part to be "90 to 98 percent Oxalic Acid". The remainder is Magnesium Aluminum Silicate and non-ionic surficants. I'm not a chemist, but I would imagine the Magnesium Aluminum Silicate is also added as a surficant. Anyway, if you only need a small amount, this seems to be a somewhat pure source of Oxalic Acid that could be purchased easily. One other thing that caught my interest on the MSDS sheet, under "Stability and Reacitvity", it says "Decomposition Products: Thermal decomposition will yield oxides of carbon and formic acid." I wonder if this stuff works against mites by breaking down into formic acid? Nuc. Article 32312 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: From: fcooke@lineone.net (Freddie Cooke) Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping Subject: Re: Foundation and extra entrances Date: 3 Jun 2002 16:48:21 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com/ Lines: 15 Message-ID: <1b093a58.0206031548.306e2980@posting.google.com> References: <20020602183806.28230.00001459@mb-mh.aol.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: 80.225.65.92 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-Trace: posting.google.com 1023148101 6238 127.0.0.1 (3 Jun 2002 23:48:21 GMT) X-Complaints-To: groups-abuse@google.com NNTP-Posting-Date: 3 Jun 2002 23:48:21 GMT Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!canoe.uoregon.edu!logbridge.uoregon.edu!newsfeed.stanford.edu!postnews1.google.com!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32312 Hi Julie, I would always recommend using wired foundation in super frames. This is especially beneficial in supporting the comb when extracting honey in a tangental extractor. Even so it is important to keep the revolutions down to the lowest possible in order to prevent the distortion and possible break up of the comb. I remember reading an article on suplementary entrances some years ago in the British Beekeepers Association's digest. Several experienced beekeepers said they were unable to prove any advantage whereas the extra entrances increased the incidence of robbing. I presume there would be a consequent increase in the numbers of bees required for guard duty. Best wishes Freddie Cooke. UK Beekeeper based near Shifnal in Shropshire. Article 32313 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: From: Don Bruder Newsgroups: alt.hobbies.beekeeping,sci.agriculture.beekeeping Subject: 8th day hive check - Advice, please? Organization: Chaotic Creations Unlimited User-Agent: MT-NewsWatcher/3.1 (PPC) Lines: 135 Message-ID: Date: Tue, 04 Jun 2002 01:39:45 GMT NNTP-Posting-Host: 209.204.149.216 X-Complaints-To: abuse@sonic.net X-Trace: typhoon.sonic.net 1023154785 209.204.149.216 (Mon, 03 Jun 2002 18:39:45 PDT) NNTP-Posting-Date: Mon, 03 Jun 2002 18:39:45 PDT Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!logbridge.uoregon.edu!HSNX.atgi.net!news.kjsl.com!feed.news.sonic.net!typhoon.sonic.net!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu alt.hobbies.beekeeping:451 sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32313 Here comes the rookie... Duck 'n cover! :) If you've been following along, you know about the swarm I hived a week ago this past Saturday. Todaywas payday, and after cashing my check, I went over to the Dadant branch in the next town over, and picked up the most basic of basic gear: Their el-cheapo smoker, a hive tool, and a real veil to put over my stetson. The fellow behind the counter took pity on the rookie and threw in a brush, a copy of ABJ, and a copy of their catalog, along with trying to sell me what looked like a thirty pound can of Terramycin, at a price I didn't even want to look at, let alone try to pay. Good gawd! The can he was trying to sell me would've dosed three of my horses for a month, by the look of it! :) Or been a ten lifetime supply for a beekeeper with a whole 4-5 frames worth of bees! :) So I get the goodies home, and I play with firing up the smoker. We've got a nice blow-down oak tree that I haven't gotten around to clearing out (It isn't in the way, so why bother, I figure.) that's got lotsa little twigs, so I lit a twist of newspaper, dropped it in the smoker, then stuffed it full of oak twigs, and started pumping the bellows. Once the open flames had receded to leave me a good bed of coals, I stuffed a double-handful of fresh green grass in, and flipped the lid shut. Sure enough, she smoked like... Well, we won't go to cliche-ville, will we? :) Cutting to the end of the story, the load lasted for as long as I was working with the hive, with a wimpy little thin dribble still trailing out of it after I was done, so I guess I got things right on my first firing. Had to be beginner's luck - especially after some of the grumbling I've heard about how hard a smoker is to get properly stoked. Or maybe the fact that I've built many upon many, and many more campfires over the years, so I know how to lay a decent fire with whatever comes to hand had something to do with it? Either way, I'm not seeing what the "I can't make my smoker smoke" grumbling is based on. Seemed simple enough to me. Anyway, There was a reason behind getting the gear... I wanted to do the 1 week check. So after putting together the veil/stetson combination, suiting up in my two long-sleeve shirts (Remember, Don, the bees will be happier with the light one on the outside...) and taping on my gloves, I went up and cracked the hive open. A few puffs from the smoker, and everybody was down in the frames, and I was able to get to work with only one or two bees buzzing around the area. Just like the last time I looked, the first five (farthest from me) frames were all but completely bee-free. They seem to be using only the near-side frames so far. Unlike last time, there's comb drawn all over the place. And that's where the advice is needed... Of 10 sides of the frame they're using, approximately 5 sides are covered in the "crazy-comb" I described in one of my earlier messages. Two of the frames (9 and 10 of the set, 10 being the closest to me when I work on the hive - it's on the far right side as you stand in front of the hive looking at the entrance) are actually bridged together (Errr... WERE bridged together...) by comb that's drawn perpendicular to the faces of the frames in three locations. And it isn't just "brace" comb... It's full of something that bears a suspicious resemblance to honey. Whether it's my sugar syrup, actual honey, or a mixture is a question I can't answer right now, but it's there. So what (if anything) should I do about this??? Obviously, it's going to make handling the frames harder than it needs to be, not to mention making for grumpy bees if I have to tear up the comb every time I want to do something inside. Should I do a preventative "rip out" now, while initial construction is still going on (maybe remove a couple of the frames that aren't being used yet, and pile the chunks I tear out in the empty space so they cam be recycled? It'd be a shame for 'em to make all that wax, only to have to start from scratch), in hopes that they'll establish a "proper" type of comb when they rebuild, or should I just leave it go as it is? Another frame has one face that's about a 50/50 mix of "normal comb", and what I'm already thinking of as "split-level comb" - There's roughly half-depth of normal comb on the foundation, then it's almost like somebody used a knife to lift a section of that half-comb away from the foundation, and lap it over (but not touching) another section of the frame, where it appears to be getting built out to full-depth cells with a bee-space between it and the foundation. This frame, BTW, is also where I *THINK* I saw my queen - It was really tough to tell for certain, since I didn't get a really good look at her, but, comparing the critter I saw to a "normal" worker, and using wing length as a reference, where the workers' wings end JUST short of the tip of the stinger-end of the abdomen (roughly one pair of bands before the end of the abdomen), this critter's wings ended (comparatively) so short that it looked like she had a second abdomen segment grafted on. This one's abdomen was also much more... Oh... what's the word I want to use? "Pointed" isn't quite right, and neither is "tapered", but they're both real close... The workers have stumpy little rounded or blunt butts, this bee had a long, tapering, almost pointed behind. Between the mass of workers milling around that section, and the "split-level" comb, I wasn't able to get a good look at the head end. Based on a few images I've found online, I'd have to guess that I did indeed spot the queen. None of the cells I could see into showed either eggs or larvae, but with it being only a week, I'm not yet sure whether I should be worried. Some folks here have said it might be as much as 2 weeks before a "new" queen starts laying, so I guess I'll wait at least that long before going into panic mode. For what it's worth, most of the swarm is banded with the "smoky yellow" colors that I think means Italian stock, mixed with a good proportion of almost solid black workers that I think means Carnolians. The (presumed) queen I saw was nearly all black, so I'm not sure *QUITE* what to think I've got anymore. The current batch of workers definitely has the often described "really mellow" temperament that goes with Italians, but... And for what it's worth, only one bee decided to try to sting today, probably because I mooshed her with a clumsy gloved finger as I tried to shoo her out from under the end of the frame so I could set it back in the hive body. I came away with her stinger busily trying to pump poison into the fingertip of the glove. Sheesh... and there I was trying to KEEP from killing her... Ah well... Such is life, I guess. I *AM* a bit worried about something else I noticed, though... Several (A whole helluva bunch on one frame) cells are full of what looks to be mold - greyish-green, some of it looks like it COULD be pollen-balls that went moldy, other cells look like the stuff grew there, rather than being placed. Not sure what, if anything, to think of that... Any ideas for me on that? The workers on those cells didn't appear to be particularly concerned about whatever it was, with several poking their heads in, staying for a moment, then backing out and going on about whatever bee-errands they were on. Perhaps this is the "bee-bread" I've heard of? Meanwhile, thanks for reading, and I'd appreciate any advice you've got to offer. I imagine any other rookies that might be lurking out there would love to hear it, too... These groups could use some more traffic :) -- Don Bruder - dakidd@sonic.net <--- Preferred Email - unmunged I will choose a path that's clear: I will choose Free Will! - N. Peart Notice: My former ( dakidd@primenet.com / Dakidd@aaahawk.com ) addresses are now defunct. Mail sent to either address WILL NOT BE SEEN. Article 32314 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: From: jrlong@vt.edu (Jerome R. Long) Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping Subject: How long to liberate queen Date: Tue, 4 Jun 2002 02:29:51 +0000 (UTC) Organization: Virginia Tech Lines: 3 Message-ID: NNTP-Posting-Host: h80ad23e2.async.vt.edu Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: Text/Plain; charset=US-ASCII X-Trace: solaris.cc.vt.edu 1023157791 5357 128.173.35.226 (4 Jun 2002 02:29:51 GMT) X-Complaints-To: abuse@vt.edu NNTP-Posting-Date: Tue, 4 Jun 2002 02:29:51 +0000 (UTC) X-Newsreader: WinVN 0.99.8 (x86 32bit) Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!logbridge.uoregon.edu!newspeer.monmouth.com!solaris.cc.vt.edu!news.vt.edu!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32314 What is an average time for a queen to be liberated from her little cage when introduced? My experience has been three or four days. Article 32315 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: From: evincill@comcast.net (Eric Vincill) Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping Subject: Re: Advice on Re-Queening Date: 3 Jun 2002 20:41:00 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com/ Lines: 17 Message-ID: <75213ab.0206031941.44027d67@posting.google.com> References: <7ec141c5.0206030318.372fbb2c@posting.google.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: 68.47.192.11 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-Trace: posting.google.com 1023162060 17077 127.0.0.1 (4 Jun 2002 03:41:00 GMT) X-Complaints-To: groups-abuse@google.com NNTP-Posting-Date: 4 Jun 2002 03:41:00 GMT Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!newshub.sdsu.edu!news-hog.berkeley.edu!ucberkeley!newsfeed.stanford.edu!postnews1.google.com!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32315 No brood at any stage huh? I would proceed with causion in introducing a new queen without any brood present. If you have access to a hive with brood/eggs, you could put a few frames in your queenless/broodless hive and see if they start making queen cells. If they do, then cut all the queen cells out and add the queen cage between two frames with brood. Squish the cage a little bit into the brood comb (preferably around brood just about to emerge, don't worry about messing up the comb, the bees will fix that when you take out the cage later on). Remeber to have the hole side up and the cage screen accessible to surrounding bees. Wait 3 to 5 day and remove the cage with as little disturbance as possible. Then wait 7 more days and do a thorough inspection. I lost my queen when I got a split this year. The minute I realized it, I got a queen and did the above with very good sucess. This is just a suggestion. Eric in K-town Article 32316 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: From: "rad0" Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping Subject: Re: How do you make a queen excluder? Date: Mon, 3 Jun 2002 22:57:28 -0500 Organization: MindSpring Enterprises Lines: 15 Message-ID: References: NNTP-Posting-Host: c7.ae.b0.b8 X-Server-Date: 4 Jun 2002 04:00:49 GMT X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.50.4807.1700 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.50.4910.0300 Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!canoe.uoregon.edu!logbridge.uoregon.edu!netnews.com!xfer02.netnews.com!newsfeed2.earthlink.net!newsfeed.earthlink.net!newsfeed0.news.atl.earthlink.net!news.atl.earthlink.net!news.mindspring.net!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32316 Do the bees crawl up between the frames or around the ends of the frames? I'm still deciding what I want to try for my queen excluder design. or both? I was thinking of placing two pieces of thin plexiglass over the bottom frames and leaving only the ends open for the workers. Does anyone have any experience with something like this? will it work or not? Thanks Article 32317 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: From: eric@rain.org (Eric Peterson) Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping Subject: Re: My bees left me! Message-ID: References: X-Newsreader: MT-NewsWatcher 2.4.1 Lines: 38 Date: Tue, 04 Jun 2002 04:40:57 GMT NNTP-Posting-Host: 4.63.160.119 X-Complaints-To: abuse@verizon.net X-Trace: nwrddc01.gnilink.net 1023165657 4.63.160.119 (Tue, 04 Jun 2002 00:40:57 EDT) NNTP-Posting-Date: Tue, 04 Jun 2002 00:40:57 EDT Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!logbridge.uoregon.edu!news.maxwell.syr.edu!newsfeed1.cidera.com!Cidera!cyclone1.gnilink.net!spamfinder.gnilink.net!nwrddc01.gnilink.net.POSTED!d58cdffb!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32317 Thanks to all that replied -The paint on my hives had been dry for several months, so I don't think that was an issue, but I'll clean things up and I'll see if I can't find a swarm around here, or perhaps a beekeeper I can ask for some bees to try this again. Regards, Eric In article , ericgrog@yahoo.com (Eric Peterson) wrote: > I'm a first-time beekeeper and got a new batch of bees (4 lb + queen). I > followed all the directions and got them into the hive (Pierco black > plastic frames). A week later they were all seemingly doing well, (though > I did have to move the hive onto a small table to take care of ants.) > Weather was beautiful, and the flowers are all blooming (though I also had > 50% sugar water for them.) > > After about 10 days, I wanted to go in and check out the queen. Lo and > behold, all my bees were gone! Called up the folks that sent my bees to > me and they said that though it was rare for bees "not to like a hive", it > wasn't unheard of. > > Any other ideas, and or suggestions as to what I can do next year to keep > this from occuring again?! > > Thanks in advance, > > Eric > > -- > Eric Peterson > Camarillo, CA > ericgrog@yahoo.com -- Eric Peterson eric.grog@verizon.net Article 32318 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: Message-ID: <3CFBE1D8.2A3DAEAB@atlas.localdomain> From: Louise Adderholdt X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.77 [en] (X11; U; Linux 2.2.19 i686) X-Accept-Language: en MIME-Version: 1.0 Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping Subject: Bumblebees Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Lines: 22 Date: Tue, 04 Jun 2002 06:03:07 GMT NNTP-Posting-Host: 67.251.117.16 X-Complaints-To: abuse@verizon.net X-Trace: nwrddc03.gnilink.net 1023170587 67.251.117.16 (Tue, 04 Jun 2002 02:03:07 EDT) NNTP-Posting-Date: Tue, 04 Jun 2002 02:03:07 EDT Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!logbridge.uoregon.edu!news.maxwell.syr.edu!news-out.nuthinbutnews.com!propagator-sterling!news-in.nuthinbutnews.com!cyclone1.gnilink.net!spamfinder.gnilink.net!nwrddc03.gnilink.net.POSTED!f63d232e!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32318 Last week, I captured a nest of bumblebees, put them in an observation box, mounted it on the north side of my shed, and took the cork out of the entrance hole the following day. The 'hive' is doing fine and is getting more activity as new batches hatch. I had never seen a bumblebee nest, and my husband and I found two in an old chicken house that we are repairing. Unfortunately, we destroyed the first nest before we knew what it was. It was in a rotten floor that we were removing. I discovered the other one behind a crate, and I put my bee suit on that evening and scooped up the nest and young bees. I have 4 stands of honey bees, but I'm also fascinated by the interesting life cycle of the bumblebee, another great pollinator. (I also made a number of 'homes,' 4x4s with holes drilled in them, for the carpenter bees.) Louise -- Louise Adderholdt | Reason is often the slave of sin; it strives to n.kc@verizon.net | justify it. | -- Leo Tolstoy Article 32319 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: Reply-To: "wuffman" From: "wuffman" Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping References: <3CFBE1D8.2A3DAEAB@atlas.localdomain> Subject: Re: Bumblebees Lines: 36 Organization: http://www.wuffman.com X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2600.0000 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2600.0000 Message-ID: Date: Tue, 04 Jun 2002 08:56:06 GMT NNTP-Posting-Host: 67.227.197.42 X-Complaints-To: abuse@earthlink.net X-Trace: newsread1.prod.itd.earthlink.net 1023180966 67.227.197.42 (Tue, 04 Jun 2002 01:56:06 PDT) NNTP-Posting-Date: Tue, 04 Jun 2002 01:56:06 PDT Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!canoe.uoregon.edu!csulb.edu!newshub.sdsu.edu!west.cox.net!cox.net!newsfeed1.earthlink.net!newsfeed.earthlink.net!stamper.news.pas.earthlink.net!newsread1.prod.itd.earthlink.net.POSTED!454fbea8!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32319 Hey, If you have a digi cammera please gets some photos.... Id love to see them... wuffman http://www.wuffman.com "Louise Adderholdt" wrote in message news:3CFBE1D8.2A3DAEAB@atlas.localdomain... > Last week, I captured a nest of bumblebees, put them in an observation > box, mounted it on the north side of my shed, and took the cork out of > the entrance hole the following day. The 'hive' is doing fine and is > getting more activity as new batches hatch. > > I had never seen a bumblebee nest, and my husband and I found two in an > old chicken house that we are repairing. Unfortunately, we destroyed > the first nest before we knew what it was. It was in a rotten floor > that we were removing. I discovered the other one behind a crate, and I > put my bee suit on that evening and scooped up the nest and young bees. > > I have 4 stands of honey bees, but I'm also fascinated by the > interesting life cycle of the bumblebee, another great pollinator. > > (I also made a number of 'homes,' 4x4s with holes drilled in them, for > the carpenter bees.) > > Louise > -- > Louise Adderholdt | Reason is often the slave of sin; it strives to > n.kc@verizon.net | justify it. > | -- Leo Tolstoy > Article 32320 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: Reply-To: "wuffman" From: "wuffman" Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping References: Subject: Re: My bees left me! Lines: 50 Organization: http://www.wuffman.com X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2600.0000 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2600.0000 Message-ID: Date: Tue, 04 Jun 2002 08:56:13 GMT NNTP-Posting-Host: 67.227.197.42 X-Complaints-To: abuse@earthlink.net X-Trace: newsread1.prod.itd.earthlink.net 1023180973 67.227.197.42 (Tue, 04 Jun 2002 01:56:13 PDT) NNTP-Posting-Date: Tue, 04 Jun 2002 01:56:13 PDT Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!canoe.uoregon.edu!csulb.edu!newshub.sdsu.edu!west.cox.net!cox.net!newsfeed1.earthlink.net!newsfeed.earthlink.net!stamper.news.pas.earthlink.net!newsread1.prod.itd.earthlink.net.POSTED!454fbea8!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32320 Were they packaged bees or in a nuc box? I have talked to several people that are dead set angainst packaged bees, and they swear by nuc boxes, more bees and better success stories, cause you take thier ftames from the nuc box and put them into the hive so they already have their scent on them.... I am also a first year beekeeper but I have been doing alot of homework over the last 2 years and finaly got me 2 hives. One was so good a wild (?) swarm moved into it free of charge.. I am so surprised at how well it is doing... about 2 weeks out now and there is so many bees buzzing around it... I opened it yesterday and it is so full that I stuck another wester ( 6.5/8 supper) on top of it... I have not been able to see the queen yet but the 2 full boxes are packed out... and at leaste 4 iner frames are 90% capped I think that is a good sign... wuffman http://www.wuffman.com "Eric Peterson" wrote in message news:ericgrog-2905022159190001@192.168.0.21... > I'm a first-time beekeeper and got a new batch of bees (4 lb + queen). I > followed all the directions and got them into the hive (Pierco black > plastic frames). A week later they were all seemingly doing well, (though > I did have to move the hive onto a small table to take care of ants.) > Weather was beautiful, and the flowers are all blooming (though I also had > 50% sugar water for them.) > > After about 10 days, I wanted to go in and check out the queen. Lo and > behold, all my bees were gone! Called up the folks that sent my bees to > me and they said that though it was rare for bees "not to like a hive", it > wasn't unheard of. > > Any other ideas, and or suggestions as to what I can do next year to keep > this from occuring again?! > > Thanks in advance, > > Eric > > -- > Eric Peterson > Camarillo, CA > ericgrog@yahoo.com > Article 32321 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: From: "Charles Pecka" Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping Subject: Re: Lawn care - was Bumblebees and tomato pollination Date: Mon, 3 Jun 2002 07:27:48 -0500 Organization: Posted via Supernews, http://www.supernews.com Message-ID: References: <20020523193458.12046.00000459@mb-fe.aol.com> <0JAK8.99852$Kp.10294567@bin7.nnrp.aus1.giganews.com> X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2600.0000 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2600.0000 X-Complaints-To: newsabuse@supernews.com Lines: 114 Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!nntp.upenn.edu!canoe.uoregon.edu!logbridge.uoregon.edu!newsfeed.stanford.edu!sn-xit-01!sn-post-01!supernews.com!corp.supernews.com!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32321 Perfect solution for the dandelions, clover even crab grass!. Plamt Zoysia grass and within a few years you'll never seen them in your yard again. Lot's are in my neighbors but I have none in my yard. Chuck TN "The Rock Garden" wrote in message news:0JAK8.99852$Kp.10294567@bin7.nnrp.aus1.giganews.com... > "Dave Green" > > > Tomatoes are pollinated by motion, which can be supplied by wind or > > humans using vibrators. But a sonicating bee is the best tomato pollinator > > of all. In its native range in South America the wild progenitor of the > > tomato was buzz pollinated, but the species of bee was not carried around > > the world along with the tomato plants. It's sonication frequency was > > perfect for maximum pollen release. > > > > Bumblebees, however do a creditable job of buzz pollinating. They hang > > from the flower (which bends into a perfect position for pollen release) > and > > vibrate their wing muscles without flying. This is called sonication. > > Honeybees have been known to sonicate on rare occasions, but they don't > > commonly do it at all. > > > > Tomato stamens do not have the pollen at the surface of the anthers > like > > most flowers. The pollen is inside, and it requires motion to release it > > thru pores in the anther. > > Tomato pollination graphics: http://www.pollinator.com/tomato.htm > > > Thanks Dave. It's nice to learn all folk lore isn't gospel, especially when > you can back it up with facts. > > Since you're back on line for a while perhaps we can finish up a thread > that was started over on misc.rural a while back, but never tied up. I > forget all the details, but someone asked about spraying pesticides and you > made your usual excellent reply in regards to protecting the bees. I posted > a query, meant for you to run with, about how best to control dandelions and > clover in lawns without harming the bees, but evidently about that time you > decided to go fishing as you never posted a reply. > > How 'bout it? What advice do you (or anyone else) have for the average home > owner who isn't willing to live with the dandelions and/or clover in the > lawn and isn't about to dig them out by hand, but is willing to be educated > as to how he/she can get rid of it without killing off the bees? > > Skip > > Skip & Christy Hensler > THE ROCK GARDEN > Newport, WA > http://www.povn.com/rock/ > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Article 32322 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: From: "RPM1" Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping Subject: Re: Bumblebees Date: Tue, 4 Jun 2002 08:17:50 -0400 Organization: Posted via Supernews, http://www.supernews.com Message-ID: References: <3CFBE1D8.2A3DAEAB@atlas.localdomain> X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.50.4522.1200 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.50.4522.1200 X-Complaints-To: newsabuse@supernews.com Lines: 9 Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!canoe.uoregon.edu!logbridge.uoregon.edu!isdnet!sn-xit-02!sn-post-01!supernews.com!corp.supernews.com!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32322 "wuffman" > If you have a digi cammera please gets some photos.... Id love to see > them... Yes, yes! Photos please! Ruth CM Article 32323 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: Lines: 10 X-Admin: news@aol.com From: beecrofter@aol.com (BeeCrofter) Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping Date: 04 Jun 2002 14:54:07 GMT References: Organization: AOL http://www.aol.com Subject: Re: Lawn care - was Bumblebees and tomato pollination Message-ID: <20020604105407.03264.00000023@mb-mj.aol.com> Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!logbridge.uoregon.edu!news.maxwell.syr.edu!newsfeed1.cidera.com!Cidera!ngpeer.news.aol.com!audrey05.news.aol.com!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32323 Zoysia grass is ugly especially in the northeast where it spends most of it's time brown and dormant. If you want to control weeds in cool season turfgrasses set your mower on it's highest setting and let the grass crowd them out. Article 32324 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: From: "David Brookes" Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping Subject: Re: Bee Quick Date: Mon, 3 Jun 2002 20:14:47 +0100 Lines: 22 Message-ID: References: NNTP-Posting-Host: modem-1788.tiger.dialup.pol.co.uk X-Trace: newsg4.svr.pol.co.uk 1023207898 10390 62.136.214.252 (4 Jun 2002 16:24:58 GMT) NNTP-Posting-Date: 4 Jun 2002 16:24:58 GMT X-Complaints-To: abuse@theplanet.net X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2600.0000 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2600.0000 Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!logbridge.uoregon.edu!newsfeed.esat.net!news.indigo.ie!diablo.theplanet.net!news.theplanet.net!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32324 Just bought a bottle myself out of interest. Going to give it a try at the weekend. I've made up 5 fume boards but I'll take my porters along too just in case! I'd be interested to hear how you get on. David Perthshire "wuffman" wrote in message news:oiaK8.1201$v06.1034@newsread1.prod.itd.earthlink.net... > Has anyone used bee quick to clear the bees from a supper? > > I just ordered me a smal bottle and thought I would try it to see if it just > clears one supper or if the bees would move all the wasy down int ot he > deeps... > > Brian > > Article 32325 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: Reply-To: "Greg Hupf" From: "Greg Hupf" Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping References: <20020604105407.03264.00000023@mb-mj.aol.com> Subject: Re: Lawn care - was Bumblebees and tomato pollination Lines: 12 X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.50.4133.2400 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.50.4133.2400 Message-ID: Date: Tue, 04 Jun 2002 18:54:25 GMT NNTP-Posting-Host: 67.200.206.13 X-Complaints-To: abuse@earthlink.net X-Trace: newsread1.prod.itd.earthlink.net 1023216865 67.200.206.13 (Tue, 04 Jun 2002 11:54:25 PDT) NNTP-Posting-Date: Tue, 04 Jun 2002 11:54:25 PDT Organization: EarthLink Inc. -- http://www.EarthLink.net Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!canoe.uoregon.edu!csulb.edu!newshub.sdsu.edu!west.cox.net!cox.net!newsfeed1.earthlink.net!newsfeed.earthlink.net!stamper.news.pas.earthlink.net!newsread1.prod.itd.earthlink.net.POSTED!a441586b!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32325 A grass that is dormant for a longer period requires less mowing, watering, and fertilizing. Grass that is as thick as zoysia has less weed problems. These are all very attractive qualities in a lawn grass. "BeeCrofter" wrote in message news:20020604105407.03264.00000023@mb-mj.aol.com... > Zoysia grass is ugly especially in the northeast where it spends most of it's > time brown and dormant. Article 32326 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: From: Gadget Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping Subject: How long after a mating flight should I see eggs/brood? Date: Tue, 4 Jun 2002 20:00:00 +0100 Organization: Gadgeland Lines: 37 Sender: spamblock@spamblock.com Message-ID: Reply-To: Gadget NNTP-Posting-Host: modem-3879.cheetah.dialup.pol.co.uk Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain;charset=us-ascii;format=flowed X-Trace: news5.svr.pol.co.uk 1023217097 1813 217.134.111.39 (4 Jun 2002 18:58:17 GMT) NNTP-Posting-Date: 4 Jun 2002 18:58:17 GMT X-Complaints-To: abuse@theplanet.net User-Agent: Turnpike/6.01-U () Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!canoe.uoregon.edu!csulb.edu!newshub.sdsu.edu!west.cox.net!cox.net!news-hub.cableinet.net!blueyonder!diablo.theplanet.net!news.theplanet.net!spamblock.com!spamblock Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32326 I hail from North Devon, UK. I will apologise for my ignorance, this is my first season [after taking a swarm in Aug 2001]. Our hive swarmed three times in May. On the 8th I wasn't there for the first swarm with the old queen and couldn't find it, inspecting the hive two days later found queen cells aplenty. On the 16th caught the second on a nearby bush only to lose it again when I hived it. We then went into a two week run of cold wind and rain. On Friday 31st I wasn't there again for the third swarm, but was told there was lots of bees, but they weren't seen to settle anywhere and disappeared again quickly. We inspected the next day and found 14 queen cells, four of which looked still sealed, we knocked off all but one. There was no brood left only a few drones, just emerging, which suggests that the last eggs were laid 24 days ago, on the 8th, the day of the first swarm. So if that was the case, that queen cell, even if it was an emergency one should have been vacated. I've been hoping that this last episode was just a mating flight, so I had another look today [Tuesday] and the queen cell was still sealed and there were no eggs to be seen. So the question is, without having spotted a queen, how long should I wait for potential laying before I can safely say that the colony is queenless? And will requeening at this late stage be successful? Or should I be looking for a swarm to combine with it? -- Gadget to email me direct use; gadget((at))bluewatch((dot))fsnet((dot))co((dot))uk sorry about all the spamblockage! Article 32327 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: Reply-To: "Greg Hupf" From: "Greg Hupf" Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping Subject: Oxalic Acid and Sourwood Lines: 18 X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.50.4133.2400 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.50.4133.2400 Message-ID: Date: Tue, 04 Jun 2002 19:06:00 GMT NNTP-Posting-Host: 67.200.206.239 X-Complaints-To: abuse@earthlink.net X-Trace: newsread2.prod.itd.earthlink.net 1023217560 67.200.206.239 (Tue, 04 Jun 2002 12:06:00 PDT) NNTP-Posting-Date: Tue, 04 Jun 2002 12:06:00 PDT Organization: EarthLink Inc. -- http://www.EarthLink.net Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!canoe.uoregon.edu!csulb.edu!newshub.sdsu.edu!west.cox.net!cox.net!newsfeed1.earthlink.net!newsfeed.earthlink.net!stamper.news.pas.earthlink.net!newsread2.prod.itd.earthlink.net.POSTED!a441586b!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32327 I am not a beekeeper but have been avidly reading up on the subject for about a month. Oxalic acid is a noted chemical used for varroa mite control. (I think) Oxalic acid is the compound responsible for the taste of sourwood leaves and hence the name of the tree. (Based on "Common Forest Trees of North Carolina" produced by North Carolina Department of Environmentand Natural Resources) Sourwood is an attractive plant to bees and produces a quality honey. (I think) Based on the above, do hives that forage on a high percentage of sourwood have higher resistance to varroa mites? Article 32328 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: From: "Shawn M." Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping References: <98bfe475.0205251519.5f69d85f@posting.google.com> Subject: Re: Leave Well Enough Alone? Lines: 17 X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2600.0000 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2600.0000 Message-ID: X-Complaints-To: abuse@usenetserver.com X-Abuse-Info: Please be sure to forward a copy of ALL headers X-Abuse-Info: Otherwise we will be unable to process your complaint properly. NNTP-Posting-Date: Tue, 04 Jun 2002 16:43:02 EDT Organization: WEBUSENET.com Date: Tue, 4 Jun 2002 16:49:02 -0400 Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!canoe.uoregon.edu!csulb.edu!newshub.sdsu.edu!west.cox.net!cox.net!news-east.rr.com!newsfeed.telusplanet.net!peer1-sjc1.usenetserver.com!usenetserver.com!e3500-atl2.usenetserver.com.POSTED!53ab2750!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32328 Dear Steve; Find a local beekeeper to look at your hive. He might be able to remove it and place it in a honey producing hive in your backyard (or the neighbor who likes them). That way you won't have some of the worries expressed by yourself and the other posters. In a year or so he will share some of the honey production. A possible sweet solution. Shawn "Steve Thomas" <70721.602@compuserve.com> wrote in message news:98bfe475.0205251519.5f69d85f@posting.google.com... > Hi: > You guys have probably been pestered with this sort of question Article 32329 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: From: "John Henderson" Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping Subject: Re: Oxalic Acid and Sourwood Date: Wed, 5 Jun 2002 06:48:53 +1000 Organization: no affiliation Lines: 41 Message-ID: References: NNTP-Posting-Host: 144.138.240.157 X-Trace: fu-berlin.de 1023223987 35260716 144.138.240.157 (16 [83062]) X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.50.4807.1700 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.50.4807.1700 Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!logbridge.uoregon.edu!fu-berlin.de!uni-berlin.de!144.138.240.157!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32329 I wouldn't think many plants put their toxins into their nectar or pollen. Having foliage consumed is destructive to a plant. Having nectar consumed is an advantage. It gets more complex with fruit. Many plants have fruit toxic to mammals but not to birds. This is because mammals chew and digest seeds, whereas they are spread far and wide by birds while remaining viable after passing through the digestive tract. Rhubarb is an example of a plant being very selective about which parts get to have oxalic acid in them. John "Greg Hupf" wrote: > I am not a beekeeper but have been avidly reading up on the subject for > about a month. > > Oxalic acid is a noted chemical used for varroa mite control. (I think) > > Oxalic acid is the compound responsible for the taste of sourwood leaves and > hence the name of the tree. (Based on "Common Forest Trees of North > Carolina" produced by North Carolina Department of Environmentand Natural > Resources) > > Sourwood is an attractive plant to bees and produces a quality honey. (I > think) > > > Based on the above, do hives that forage on a high percentage of sourwood > have higher resistance to varroa mites? Article 32330 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: From: alhntn@webtv.net (alh-n-tn) Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping Subject: Mason Bees Date: Tue, 4 Jun 2002 19:35:53 -0400 (EDT) Organization: WebTV Subscriber Lines: 18 Message-ID: <6262-3CFD4ED9-792@storefull-2252.public.lawson.webtv.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: localhost.webtv.net Mime-Version: 1.0 (WebTV) Content-Type: Text/Plain; Charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7Bit X-WebTV-Signature: 1 ETAtAhQZNoUq7OBH4avUbszXmlkME+RLqQIVALVbsuTNab5ej8bnBLBRhn8oMgSJ Content-Disposition: Inline Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!logbridge.uoregon.edu!sunqbc.risq.qc.ca!newsfeed.mathworks.com!news.kjsl.com!news.spies.com!newssorter-2001.public.lawson.webtv.net!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32330 Hello, Recently I saw a program on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation on pollination and the different kinds of bees farmers use to pollinate their crops. There were three: honey bees, bumblebees, and one I had never heard of, the mason bee. I was really intrigued by the mason bee. Does anyone in this group have any experience with the mason bee? If so, would you please share you knowledge of this fascinating bee. Many thanks. Take Care. alh-n-tn (Lester, the East Tennessee Dude) Article 32331 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: From: "Christopher Petree" Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping Subject: Re: How long after a mating flight should I see eggs/brood? Date: Tue, 4 Jun 2002 23:58:24 -0400 Organization: MindSpring Enterprises Lines: 38 Message-ID: References: Reply-To: "Christopher Petree" NNTP-Posting-Host: 43.f0.18.87 X-Server-Date: 5 Jun 2002 04:01:39 GMT X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2600.0000 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2600.0000 Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!canoe.uoregon.edu!csulb.edu!newshub.sdsu.edu!news-spur1.maxwell.syr.edu!news.maxwell.syr.edu!cpk-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!news.gtei.net!howland.erols.net!newsfeed.mindspring.net.MISMATCH!newsfeed0.news.atl.earthlink.net!news.atl.earthlink.net!news.mindspring.net!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32331 The whole requeening mess, after swarming, is tricky simply because you don't know what the bees have in the works. If you have a queen cell, then let it hatch...after it hatches the queen will usually leave the hive within six days, if the weather is good, to mate. Sometimes they never make it back to the hive, especailly if the hive is close to other hives. If it is just a single hive then the chances are more in your favor. I have had cells that the queen inside had been killed by a previous hatched queen and the bees hadn't got around to cleaning it up. If you are careful, and you know the cell is at least 6-7 days old (a queen cell that has been capped for a few days), you can cut the cell and gently shake it to see if you can hear the pupa inside raddle. If you hear the raddle then you can be mostly assured that the pupa is still alive and may hatch out in a few more days. Replace the cell gently back in its orginal location. I would leave the bees alone for at least a week and see if they get things worked out on there own--usually they work things out better than we can. If, after that time, the cell hasn't hatched and you can't find any evidence of any sort of queen, virgin or mated, then find a replacement. If you check the bees after a week's time, check before 1:00 or after 5:00 since the queen may be gone during this time to mate and you may miss her. The bees will probably bee without much brood during this transition of finding a new queen. It's fairly common after a hive throws a few swarms. You might want to get some brood from a fellow beekeeper to boost the hive until you can get things running smoothly again. If you get any brood check for diseases by examining the larva and capped brood. Two or three frames of brood will probably be enough. Another option is to cut that cell and use it elsewhere and find a replacement queen immediately. This may be more convenient and easier for you. I hope my ramblings help you in some way, Christopher Petree Article 32332 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: From: ericgrog@yahoo.com (Eric Peterson) Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping Subject: Re: My bees left me! Message-ID: References: X-Newsreader: MT-NewsWatcher 2.4.1 Lines: 69 Date: Wed, 05 Jun 2002 04:44:49 GMT NNTP-Posting-Host: 4.63.160.119 X-Complaints-To: abuse@verizon.net X-Trace: nwrddc02.gnilink.net 1023252289 4.63.160.119 (Wed, 05 Jun 2002 00:44:49 EDT) NNTP-Posting-Date: Wed, 05 Jun 2002 00:44:49 EDT Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!nntp.upenn.edu!news.misty.com!yellow.newsread.com!netaxs.com!newsread.com!newsfeed.news2me.com!newsfeed.wirehub.nl!news-out.nuthinbutnews.com!propagator-sterling!news-in.nuthinbutnews.com!cyclone1.gnilink.net!spamfinder.gnilink.net!nwrddc02.gnilink.net.POSTED!d58cdffb!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32332 In article , "wuffman" wrote: > Were they packaged bees or in a nuc box? Packaged. They did stay around for about 10 days - and at least *seemed* to be happy... If only they could talk :-) > I have talked to several people that are dead set angainst packaged bees, > and they swear by nuc boxes, more bees and better success stories, cause you > take thier ftames from the nuc box and put them into the hive so they > already have their scent on them.... I'll see if I can't find another beekeeper around here (anyone in Ventura County, CA listening?) that I can buy a nuc from; I'd rather not wait another year, especially with my current luck with packaged bees. > I am also a first year beekeeper but I have been doing alot of homework over > the last 2 years and finaly got me 2 hives. One was so good a wild (?) > swarm moved into it free of charge.. I am so surprised at how well it is > doing... > about 2 weeks out now and there is so many bees buzzing around it... I > opened it yesterday and it is so full that I stuck another wester ( 6.5/8 > supper) on top of it... > I have not been able to see the queen yet but the 2 full boxes are packed > out... and at leaste 4 iner frames are 90% capped I think that is a good > sign... Sounds good! I should be so lucky - I wonder if there are any scents or potions one can add to a hive to attract a swarm? Thanks for the info and reply. Regards, Eric > "Eric Peterson" wrote in message > news:ericgrog-2905022159190001@192.168.0.21... > > I'm a first-time beekeeper and got a new batch of bees (4 lb + queen). I > > followed all the directions and got them into the hive (Pierco black > > plastic frames). A week later they were all seemingly doing well, (though > > I did have to move the hive onto a small table to take care of ants.) > > Weather was beautiful, and the flowers are all blooming (though I also had > > 50% sugar water for them.) > > > > After about 10 days, I wanted to go in and check out the queen. Lo and > > behold, all my bees were gone! Called up the folks that sent my bees to > > me and they said that though it was rare for bees "not to like a hive", it > > wasn't unheard of. > > > > Any other ideas, and or suggestions as to what I can do next year to keep > > this from occuring again?! > > > > Thanks in advance, > > > > Eric > > > > -- > > Eric Peterson > > Camarillo, CA > > ericgrog@yahoo.com > > -- Eric Peterson eric.grog@verizon.net Article 32333 of sci.agriculture.beekeeping: X-Trace-PostClient-IP: 24.70.196.137 From: "Beeguy" Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping References: Subject: Re: Oxalic Acid and Sourwood Lines: 73 X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.50.4522.1200 X-MIMEOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.50.4522.1200 Message-ID: <83hL8.183321$GG6.15340968@news3.calgary.shaw.ca> Date: Wed, 05 Jun 2002 05:10:28 GMT NNTP-Posting-Host: 24.64.223.206 X-Complaints-To: abuse@shaw.ca X-Trace: news3.calgary.shaw.ca 1023253828 24.64.223.206 (Tue, 04 Jun 2002 23:10:28 MDT) NNTP-Posting-Date: Tue, 04 Jun 2002 23:10:28 MDT Organization: Shaw Residential Internet Path: news.unc.edu!elk.ncren.net!canoe.uoregon.edu!csulb.edu!tethys.csu.net!news-hog.berkeley.edu!ucberkeley!nntp.cs.ubc.ca!skynet.be!skynet.be!sn-xit-03!supernews.com!pd2nf1so.cg.shawcable.net!residential.shaw.ca!news3.calgary.shaw.ca.POSTED!not-for-mail Xref: news.unc.edu sci.agriculture.beekeeping:32333 Oxalic Acid is the best Varroa Mites killer. Essential advantages over the actual usually fighting methods are: no delays in the honey, beeswax and propolis very good bee compatibility no early ageing of the bees (important to population of the bees in spring) outside any time of honey-collection usable (admittance still outstanding) high degree of effectiveness , up to 99% and very user kind for the beekeeper. Look at the Internet; Varroa mite control or Oxalic Acid Vaporizer. There are many pages how to tread the bees with Oxalic Acid. Oxalic Acid is in many plants and we eat them every day. I give you a sample: Vegetable/Oxalic acid (g/100 g) --- Amaranth/1.09 - Asparagus/.13 --- Beans, snap/.36 --- Beet leaves/.61--- Broccoli/.19 --- Brussels sprouts/.36 --- Cabbage/.10 --- Carrot/.50 --- Cassava/1.26 --- Cauliflower/.15 --- Celery/.19 --- Chicory/.21 --- Chives/1.48 --- Collards/.45 --- Coriander/.01 --- Corn, sweet/.01 --- Cucumbers/.02 --- Eggplant/.19 --- Endive/.11 --- Garlic/.36 --- Kale/.02 --- Lettuce/.33 --- Okra/.05 --- Onion/.05 --- Parsley/1.70 --- Parsnip/.04 --- Pea/.05 --- Pepper/.04 --- Potato/.05 --- Purslane/1.31 --- Radish/.48 --- Rutabaga/.03 --- Spinach/.97 --- Squash/.02 --- Sweet potato/.24 --- Tomato/.05 --- Turnip/.21 -- Turnip greens/.05. Manfred "J