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Author Topic: Eclipse And Honey Bees  (Read 3057 times)

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Offline blueblood

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Eclipse And Honey Bees
« on: August 20, 2017, 10:15:10 pm »
So, I was thinking while constructing a few viewing boxes this evening.  The maximum eclipse in my area will occur around 2:24 PM.  My bees are very busy foraging at this time.  I wonder if they will lose their direction assuming light refraction will be significantly and nearly totally reduced?  The totality will only last for a few minutes and then it will start getting brighter again.  So, I am thinking they will only be vexed temporarily.  On the other hand, maybe they will sense the diminishing light before the total eclipse and therefor think it's evening and start coming home?  I think it is going to be really wild to here crickets at that time of day! Ha!

Here is a link to one study: http://www.hobos.de/media/user_upload/Images_pdfs_etc/pressebeitraege/July_2016_235_Jurgen_Tautz.pdf

And, a schedule for future eclipses:  https://www.greatamericaneclipse.com/future/

Keep frosty friends!
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Offline riverbee

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Re: Eclipse And Honey Bees
« Reply #1 on: August 21, 2017, 12:38:36 am »
we wanted to put the go pro on the hives tomorrow, time lapse for about 3 hours.......just to see dave!
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Offline Dunkel

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Re: Eclipse And Honey Bees
« Reply #2 on: August 21, 2017, 08:31:07 am »
Yes I'm going to the pasture with the cows and bees.  I more interested in the actions of the critters than anything.
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Offline apisbees

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Re: Eclipse And Honey Bees
« Reply #3 on: August 21, 2017, 08:32:02 am »
Thank for posting this, Very interesting. More trivial information to store in the brain. In reality it is probably less disruptive than a thunderstorm passing over your bee yard. But cool all the less.
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Offline Newbee

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Re: Eclipse And Honey Bees
« Reply #4 on: August 21, 2017, 04:29:35 pm »
I sat outside near the hive to observe the eclipse. We were in the path of totality.
Couldn't help but notice the 'buzzing' of the hive diminish as things got darker. Prior there were quite a few bee's hanging out on the face of the hive (hundreds I'd wager). During totality, there were only a handful, and you couldn't hear the hive at all.
5 minutes later, back to a few hundred on the front like nothing happened.
All in all it was a remarkable experience.

- Kevin
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