Hidden benefit of beekeeping: bee manure!

Wasps prey on caterpillars early in the year when they need protein to feed larva. Caterpillars drop off plants when they sense wasp wing vibration. They can't tell the difference between bees and wasps so they drop to the ground when bees appear nearby. this means bees on an allotment protect cabbages from cabbage white butterfly. If the caterpillars start to ignore the bees the wasps get 'em instead.

all the dead bees would add quite a bit to that figure
if a carnica queen lays 2000 bees / day and on average a bee weighs about 200mg thats a peak of 400g dead bees / day at some point later...

I can tell you that the grass at the Craibstone Apiary which at times had 80 colonies on it grew considerably faster, greener and richer than any of the other lawns.

I know cos I was the poor mower. Cutting an acre with a flymow is not enjoyable.

PH