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Author Topic: Weird bee action  (Read 5097 times)

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Offline brooksbeefarm

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Weird bee action
« on: January 26, 2014, 12:27:43 pm »
On several occasions when i'm working with the table saw with the shop door open, i've seen worker bees fly  into the pile of saw dust under the table saw without slowing down and come staggering out like they were drunk and fly back to there hive? I'm thinking they are using it for pollen or?? do you think they are smart enough to do this to dislodge mites on them? Any thoughts? Jack
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Offline Perry

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Re: Weird bee action
« Reply #1 on: January 26, 2014, 12:47:30 pm »
I think when girls are desperate they'll take pretty much anything home.
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Offline Jen

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Re: Weird bee action
« Reply #2 on: January 26, 2014, 02:09:32 pm »
When I'm making my propolis tincture and the hive residue settles at the bottom of the bottle, I find other stuffs along with wax.

Would a bee feed sawdust to baby bees as if it were like pollen???
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Offline Ziffa

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Re: Weird bee action
« Reply #3 on: January 26, 2014, 02:50:37 pm »
Perry - I resemble that remark! :P   :laugh:

love,
ziffa
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Offline Edward

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Re: Weird bee action
« Reply #4 on: January 26, 2014, 03:29:36 pm »
Water and moisture is probably what they are after, also minerals and other trace substances that they deem beneficial for the hive.



mvh Edward  :P
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Offline Edward

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Re: Weird bee action
« Reply #5 on: January 26, 2014, 03:32:39 pm »
They also like the sap from newly cut down tree stumps.

The sap is full of sugars also, maybee a nectar source.

mvh Edward  :P
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"Well," said Pooh, "what I like best-" and then he had to stop and think. Because although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were.

Offline Marbees

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Re: Weird bee action
« Reply #6 on: January 26, 2014, 03:47:26 pm »
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Offline brooksbeefarm

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Re: Weird bee action
« Reply #7 on: January 26, 2014, 05:14:20 pm »
You may be on to something there Marbees, The odd thing was, some of the bees would crash into the sawdust pile without slowing down? while others were going through the sawdust. I have also seen bees working our trash barrel that we burn in? so it may be  minerals there after. Jack
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Offline brooksbeefarm

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Re: Weird bee action
« Reply #8 on: January 26, 2014, 05:18:40 pm »
Ziffa, it sounds like Perry in his younger days stayed till the bar closed.  :laugh: Jack
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Offline Woody Roberts

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Re: Weird bee action
« Reply #9 on: January 26, 2014, 11:02:27 pm »
Propolis perhaps? I have bees where I burn the trash all summer. Not many but there's always a few there. Today they were all over the chopped corn where I feed the chickens. I'm sure they get some protein there. Woody
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Offline lazy shooter

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Re: Weird bee action
« Reply #10 on: January 27, 2014, 09:08:10 am »
Do you remember the lyrics, "they all look better at closing time." 

On a serious note, this is not the first report of sawdust and corn dust being taken into the hive.  I sometimes see bees on my animal feeders licking or sucking on corn.  I have other threads where bees are drawn to sawdust.  As we say in my part of the world, "quien sabe."
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Offline Perry

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Re: Weird bee action
« Reply #11 on: January 27, 2014, 09:41:09 am »
Quote from: brooksbeefarm on January 26, 2014, 05:18:40 pm
Ziffa, it sounds like Perry in his younger days stayed till the bar closed.  :laugh: Jack

And you didn't Jack?  :-X
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Offline Marbees

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Re: Weird bee action
« Reply #12 on: January 27, 2014, 09:57:13 am »
Quote from: Perry on January 27, 2014, 09:41:09 am
Quote from: brooksbeefarm on January 26, 2014, 05:18:40 pm
Ziffa, it sounds like Perry in his younger days stayed till the bar closed.  :laugh: Jack

And you didn't Jack?  :-X

Perry, it was really dangerous to stay late, back in saloon days :D
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