Subject: Optimum Distance

From: "Pastor David Rees" <[email-masked]>
Date: 4 Dec 1996 05:29:59 GMT

I am curious to know the optimum distance bees travel to collect nectar and
pollen (not the maximum but for a good honey crop the range that forage
will be collected from)
David

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From: [email-masked] (Aaron Morris)
Date: Wed, 04 Dec 96 08:29:03 EST

In article <01bbe19c$2199dca0$807f16cb@david>
"Pastor David Rees" <[email-masked]> writes:
 
>
>I am curious to know the optimum distance bees travel to collect nectar
>and pollen (not the maximum but for a good honey crop the range that
>forage will be collected from)
>David
 
David,
 
This is a very good question to which there is no definitive answer, like
say 1.5 miles (as is often quoted).  Actually, the bees figure it out based
on a method of "returns for their investment".  This is a very
anthropomorphic concept, but here goes.  Bees will fly the optimal
distance from a hive to maximize the return of nectar to the hive.  If
there is a high yielding nectar source that is far from the hive, the
bees may pass that source up in favor of a lower yielding source that is
closer to the hive.  Let's make up some imaginary measuring units here.
Lets say that the high yielding source ranks a 7 on the nectar scale and
the low yielding source ranks a 3.  The high yielding source is so far
away from the hive that the bees expend 5 of the 7 nectar units in
energy to fly to and from the nectar source.  Hence the bees' yield at
the hive is 2 nectar units.  Now, consider the low yielding source (rank
3) located very close to the hive.  The bees expend only a half nectar
unit collecting that nectar, so the net return at the hive is 2.5 nectar
units.  In this case the bees will work the lower yielding nectar source
because there is a higher overall return at the hive!
 
Now what. you may ask, makes up these made up nectar units I so boldly
created.  Well, that would be the amount of natural sugars produced by
the plant.  I don't know the relative sugars from one source compared to
another, but they do differ.  And the energy expended by the bees can be
computed based on distance flown, head winds, and other variables.  So,
you see, the question you asked is not as easily answered as you may
think.  However, if you want a cut and dry average, most texts will
quote a mile and a half radius from the hive.
 
Aaron Morris - I think, therefore I bee!

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From: [email-masked] (Andy Nachbaur)
Date: Wed, 4 Dec 1996 15:06:00 GMT

>pollen (not the maximum but for a good honey crop the range that forage

Hello David,

   Maximum depends a lot on the number of other honeybee hives between
your bees and the bee pasture then the distance. If you have a yard of
bees between you and the pasture no matter what the distance you will
have many bees returning to the the hives closest to the pasture.

One trick used by some beekeepers in the alfalfa seed areas that are
deliberately over stocked with bees to increase seed production is for
one beekeeper to get down wind of several others and over super his
bees catching his neighbors bees. This makes for much hard feeling
between beekeepers and big crops for the one down wind with the extra
supers.

If you are isolated and have unlimited pasture the closer the distance
between you and your beehives the better.

If you have mixed pasture with pasture in different directions from your
bees it may be better to back off a mile or more then having the bees
directly in one plant source or another.

It's well to remember that most all pasture has some limits, but there
are exceptions depending on local conditions and plant conditions.

Here in California it is possible to have 500 to 1000 hives in prime
locations in the sage, manzanita, orange, and eucalyptus ranges. It is
important that these type locations with large numbers of hives be
isolated from human habitation to use these large stocking rates and this
is a real problem today with people building on every available site and
setting aside the few that are left as public parks that bring the
public in contact with the bee pasture limiting the beekeepers use.

In my own experience I have found beekeeping pasture to be the number
one ingredient to the successful keeping of bees, and a great difference
in what you can expect from bees in the way of production. In the
rockies it is what you see is what you get, in the large agricultural
valleys of California you seldom are sure what the bees made the honey
from.

Maximum distances increase with the potential for bees to get into
trouble. If a cotton farmer sprays some hot stuff 7 miles away you can
be sure your bees will always fly that distance to get into trouble.

                             ttul OLd Drone

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(w)Opinions are not necessarily facts. Use at own risk.

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From: [email-masked]
Date: 6 Dec 1996 01:45:13 GMT

In this area, (NW Oregon, USA), the local folks say 1/4 to 1/2 mile,
though it seems to vary tremendusly with the weather.  Cold/wet/wind =
short distance, warm/still = longer distances.  Yard size, hive strength,
food source quality, etc. seems to influence things too.  

Also, you might try  http://www.nhb.org.  Haven't been there yet myself

Dennis