Kevboab, How were your stores? I have heard you can get a thing called starvation swarming where the bees will abscond as they have no food. Given the wet weather we had they would be bringing nothing in
Kevboab, How were your stores? I have heard you can get a thing called starvation swarming where the bees will abscond as they have no food. Given the wet weather we had they would be bringing nothing in
Pollen n stores on both outers of brood with access to fondant above. The only other thing I can think of is nucs were cooking in the sun but i may be clutching at straws. Maybe they were as shocked at the sun as I was today. Lol. They are now in a national brood with syrup above to try n keep them where they are.
Suns out today (more rain promised for tomorrow).Sat watching bees in an opium poppy,strange behaviour-they were taking the stamens in their mandiblis and were "chewing" along the lengths of the stamens from end to end.They repeated this several times along each stamen.I'm not sure what they were gathering by this behaviour unles they were causing sap to exude.Other bees were behaving normally collecting pollen and nectar.Anyone else seen them behaving like this ?.
Opium poppy you say? Obviously after a fix from the sap. Are they nice quite bees, non running on the frame and in a trance like state?
Collecting sap for propolis? I always take a chew of propolis when I start working the hives to cloak my breath (works a treat), I'd like to try your propolis though! Sounds dreamy.Originally Posted by GRIZZLY
Last edited by Calum; 26-07-2012 at 08:16 AM.
Looked at them again this morning-it looks as tho'they're trying to dislodge the pollen grains before collecting it.The poppies in question are oriental opium poppies-purely decorative I might add,which have either large pink or medium red flowers.Each flower attracts as many as 8 bees which clamber around inside and over each other. Jimbo my bees are a dream to handle anyway- very good tempered and quiet on the frames - inclined to swarm however.
Weather relented at last and I managed a complete inspection yesterday.Very pleasing to discover that all 16 colonies are Queen right and all the new virgins have managed to mate successfully.If the weather continues to improve we might manage to get a small crop of honey before the heather blooms.Lots of H.B.locally and the brambles are going mad.Bees were working in the early morning rain this morning-stopped now with a promise of more rain to come.What a season.!!.
Bees realy started to throw out the drones today.Still coming in with white pollen - not from H.B as they don't have the tell tale streak of pollen up their backs -it seems to be worked by bumbles at the moment.Haven't seen any wasps yet.
Gently persuaded by Phil McAnespie to join a Beekeeping Demo with Ayr Beekeepers today. They are great at promoting Beekeeping and it was them at the same event last hear that gave me the final push - doing it was the least I could do! ImageUploadedByTapatalk1344017593.268791.jpg
Last edited by HJBee; 03-08-2012 at 09:45 PM.
Can I be the first the make the obligatory joke about a cage being the best place for them
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks