Trog

Tales from the Hive: Decisions, Decisions

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Trog
, 07-05-2010 at 10:35 AM (3911 Views)
The swarm had been hanging since teatime yesterday and as yet no decision had been taken about their new home. There had been some quite vigorous dancing and even a bit of shoulder-shaking, but still the bees couldn't make up their collective mind.

The trouble was, there were too many good places available and the bees had divided into factions. The more conservative ones favoured sticking with what they knew, and there was a very well-sited National hive just a mile away, with foundation and a smelly pheremone capsule, good roof and floor. A similar number favoured the stack of old boxes and brood combs adjacent to the apiary they'd just left. It was clearly well-used, tried and tested, and they felt it might be prudent to keep the status quo (though what a 70s pop group had to do with the price of fish was anybee's guess). A third group were wavering between the two. If they could only make up their minds which side to join, the swarm could take off.

As always, there were smaller factions who wanted their say. One party favoured a nice hole in an oak tree. Others wanted to do their own thing entirely and departed for their original hive in order to take off as a cast with the first emerging queen. A few felt that the base of the town's statue of a national hero would be appropriate. One or two were simply being disruptive.

The queen had had enough. Making her way to the outside of the cluster, she took off at speed, the startled bees following as best they could. 'One feels it's time for firm leadership', she piped. 'Follow me.'

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Comments

  1. gavin's Avatar
    Is this a true story (more or less)? Where did they go?!! Is shoulder shaking a significant part of the decision to move off? Why are Mull bees swarming so early? And why do I not have my bait hives sorted yet?!
  2. Trog's Avatar
    As usual, there's an element of truth somewhere in there but Tales from the Hive tend more to reflect current news!

    How do you set up your bait hives? I'm always keen to try new ideas!
  3. gavin's Avatar
    They'll be brood boxes (this year I have plenty of empties!) with one old comb (fumigated with acetic acid), a few frames with foundation either side, and some open space. I've tried the plastic tube lures (and they certainly attract bees), but this year I'm hoping to find lemon grass oil and will then add a few drops to a couple of frame top bars. Strap the lot together and site it in a S-facing spot wherever possible elevated on top of other boxes or in some other way. That's the plan, but I should add that I'm not particularly experienced.

    Oh, and I think that your tale may over-emphasise the role of the queen in decision-making! She's happy to let her inner circle make the decision as she can't easily explore the sites being debated. Once they do, they point the way by making rapid back and forward flights in the middle of the flying mass of bees, pointing at the chosen site.
  4. Trog's Avatar
    OK, Gavin, I wasn't seriously suggesting her maj makes decisions, any more than that the queen acts as caller at celebratory ceilidhs after the first nectar of the year arrives, or for that matter that individual bees have names! TftH are just flights of fancy sparked off by news headlines or events observed around or in the apiary, designed to amuse or entertain rather than instruct!