Worldwide Beekeeping
Beekeeping => General Beekeeping => Topic started by: heinleinfan on February 27, 2014, 04:52:11 pm
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Last fall I had a hive robbered out by some feral bees. Now, I'd been seeing the ferals still buzzing around the hive through late winter on warm days, I figured they were picking it clean. Turns out, they moved in. Must have happened really late fall and I totally missed it. The other day it was in the low 60's and I saw ferals bringing out dead bees and was all "robbers would not be doing that" and so we popped off the top box, and sure enough there was a nice sized cluster.
So, I apparently have feral bees to keep now!
These ladies are tough, though, let me tell you. Popping the lid a second time I stuffed some fondant into the hive for them and we got chased off by two angry ladies. Also, they'll fly on cleansing flights and bring out the dead when it's about 50 degrees, I've seen them out on the entrance board as low as 43 degrees out. They also seem to always have guard bees on duty at the hive entrance when they are flying, and check out all incoming bees, they're super defensive.
I'm looking forward to keeping them next to a new package of Italians coming in spring, to see how they are as far as disease and pest control and honey production. Not looking forward to how hot it seems this hive of bees might be, but definitely it will be an adventure come spring and summer!
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I thought I recognized the name. Welcome Heinleinfan !!! :)
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Hi Hein, long time no forum chat....hope you are doing fantastic. Look forward to swapping some recipes of all sorts with ya. Dave
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:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)
Sure nice to see that name here.
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Welcome heinleinfan, long time hearing from you on forum, glad you found us here, let us know what is going on over there in Co.
Ken
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(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1056.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ft373%2Friverbee1%2FWelcome%2520Your%2520Welcome%2FWelcomesign.gif&hash=41d37f2b742df1c5e32f9c10f31877c7b17a682d)
welcome, welcome, welcome hein!
sure happy to see you here! made me smile, and what iddee said!
we need another on the 'female bee brigade' here.... :D
those hot bees will surely bee a learning in adventure for you!!!! very cool! looking forward to your posts!
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Hiya Heileinfan. Add my name to those saying "hello" again. :welcome:
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Howdy!
Looking forward to hearing how they compare, should be pretty interesting! Glad they decided to adopt you as their Keep!
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Hello Heinleinfan, glad to hear we'll be getting some added opinion from a female beek. Can get pretty fun around here :D
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glad to have you back Hope your feral bees don't teach you things you don't want to learn lol. ( keep the smoker lit lol) ;D
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:welcome: heinleinfan :) glad to see you
looks like you'll have an interesting season ;)
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Barry ""glad to have you back Hope your feral bees don't teach you things you don't want to learn lol.""
Hey Barry :) my first three years were Nothing But learning all the things I didn't want to learn. Starvation, AFB, Mites, Robbing. Into my fourth season and no honey yet. But alas I perservere ~
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lol prior to some of the pests that have been introduced into the beekeeping world, I was simply a matter of understanding bee biology, and simply taking advantage of the bees doing what they would have done a naturally just, for your benefit. how things have changed since that relatively simple idea.
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Agreed :) I somtimes stood and stared at my hive scratching my befuddled head... and then... the heavens opened up... harps...a beam of light bee bonked the top of my head.. and an angelic voice said "Jen! you're learning all of this 'so quickly so soon' so you can help other.. relax" ;) 8)
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Hey welcome over here. Glad to see you made it.
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lol Jen, I always thought the bonk on the top of the head, wasn't angelic, was politely at first lol being told to get the hades out of the way:-\
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Ha! Is That What It Is! Well blow me down! I didn't know I was standing right in the flight path...
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Hey, Heinleinfan, good to hear from you - lots of familiar names and faces to welcome you and new ones to meet.
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Hey there! Glad you found us! ;D
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Good to see you here Heinleinfan, I have missed your posts and comments. I seen you back posting on the other forum and hopped you would find your way here. There are a few more names we are waiting for them to appear on the form. Like you friend Omie. Not picking favorites here but some of you your presence is missed more than others.
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woa... some more older recognizable name pop up.... and that is a good thing.
glad to see you found us here noronajo and heinleinfan.
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You bet I found you. You all have been my mentors since 2011 when I got my first 2 hives. Every anxiously posted question has been answered in a timely manner and the accumulated wisdom represented here has made my success as a beekeeper possible. Those 2 hives have multiplied to 12, been robbed, expanded into 3 locations with 2 more available this year, superseded, absconded- but I had a ready source of information and support as close as my Ipad. So, yeah, I think keeping track of you guys might be a priority. I don't speak up often, but I'm here.
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Welcome Noronajo glad you found where we have been hiding or absconded to.