| Author |
Barnyard Buddies:  Honey Bees/important / how you can help/UPDATE#2!  |
|
Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
 Posted - Apr 29 2007 : 1:29:30 PM
|
I told my fiance about this last night. He was shocked at the massive amounts of bee fatalities! He says he hopes that it does turn out to be cell phones so that the cell companies have shut off all the services. Can you tell he hates cell phones? I just hope we get it figured out before it is too late for our little friends.
Now I have a question though- What about wasps? I have some that are nesting in my yard. Do they pollinate? Can I kill them? I heard once that wasps will kill honey bees! I don't want to kill the wasps if they pollinate, but gee! I really hate them!
Alee |
 |
|
|
Tina Michelle
True Blue Farmgirl
6948 Posts
Tina
sunshine state
FL
USA
6948 Posts |
Posted - Apr 29 2007 : 2:21:38 PM
|
here is some info I to answer your question about wasps:
4) Are wasps important pollinators like bees?
>They pollinate, but bees are generally better at it. Most bees are
>relatively hairy, most wasps are much less so. And as hairs (especially
>branched ones like bees have) are good pollen collectors, the bees have a
>mechanical advantage. They also have a behavioral advantage: most bees
>collect pollen to feed to their larvae, while most wasps skip the pollen
>and feed their larvae meat (usually other insects.) There are exceptions of
>course: some wasps go the pollen route, some bees are scavengers.
In general, wasps don't visit flowers much (at least not our veggie and fruit
crops), until they are done brood rearing, so they would have the most
pollination impact on late summer and fall flowers.
As a beekeeper, folks are always after me to solve wasp, yellow jacket and
hornet problems. In many cases I will try to talk them into leaving them alone,
because they are highly preditory on pest insects.
But I do kill some. I killed one hornet nest that was about 4 1/2 feet above
the ground in a thick privet hedge by a public sidewalk. The owner was afraid
of pedistrians getting stung, or worse, of kids molesting the nest and getting
a massive stinging. I agreed, and killed them with soapy water in a little
spray bottle.
I stood perfectly still, with my face three or four feet from the nest
entrance and sprayed them as they came and went. Not a single one ever took me
for a threat and investigated. I can tell from bitter experience, that had I
used an insecticide spray can, they would have come pouring out mad. The odor
of the spray sets them off, as well as motion, which I would have been forced
to do, had they come out en masse.
Of all the stinging insects, fire ants are the ones I really hate, with
ground nesting yellow jackets in second place. Both of these are introduced
species, and tend to overpopulate anyway. I will gladly kill either of these,
when they nest around my home or work areas. For fire ants, I firmly heel the
ground to make a depression (removing my heel quickly) and bringing up as many
as possible, then dump a pail of hot soapy water in the hole. After a couple of
these, they will either die out, or move on. Ground nesting yellow jackets in
the lawn are also treated with soapy water (without the kick), at night. One
treatment is usually sufficient.
Folks are often too quick to kill wasps, hornets, bumblebees, etc. Yes,
they do sting, and yes, it is sometimes necessary to kill them. But if they
aren't bothering you now, please let them be. Generally their benefits are
greater than their threats. Most of them will be around only for a short
season, then die out in the fall.
Pollina...@aol.com Dave Green Hemingway, SC USA
The Pollination Scene: http://users.aol.com/pollinator/polpage1.html
~Seize the Day! Live, Love, Laugh~ |
|
|
|
Tina Michelle
True Blue Farmgirl
6948 Posts
Tina
sunshine state
FL
USA
6948 Posts |
Posted - Apr 30 2007 : 07:03:25 AM
|
Alee here is the answer to your question in regards to the Africanized bees:
this just in my email box this morning (smiles)
Hey Tina,
People are considering the Af bee-CCD link but most of us do not believe there is a connection between the two. One main reason for this is that Af bees occur only in the Southwest and FL while CCD is occuring all over the country.
The bees are more defensive than the bees we use but they tend to replace our bees rather than make them disappear from their own hives. That said, there is 1 African race of bee that can cause symptoms in our bees much like what CCD causes. But, we have not found that bees in the US as of yet.
Thanks for your email.
Jamie
~Seize the Day! Live, Love, Laugh~ |
|
|
|
Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Apr 30 2007 : 5:11:38 PM
|
Tina-
My other question is:
Are "Killer Bees" and Africanized Bees the same?
By the way- Thanks for all the great bee information!
Alee |
|
|
|
Tina Michelle
True Blue Farmgirl
6948 Posts
Tina
sunshine state
FL
USA
6948 Posts |
Posted - Apr 30 2007 : 5:27:28 PM
|
Alee..yes that is correct
Africanized honey bees (AHB), (known colloquially as "killer bees") are hybrids of the African honey bee, Apis mellifera scutellata (not A. m. adansonii; see Collet et al., 2006), with various European honey bees such as the Italian bee A. m. ligustica and A. m. iberiensis.
~Seize the Day! Live, Love, Laugh~ |
|
|
|
Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - May 30 2007 : 7:18:50 PM
|
Just thought I would bump this topic since it has such great information in it :)
Alee |
|
|
|
Libbie
Farmgirl Connection Cultivator
3579 Posts
Anne E.
Elsinore
Utah
USA
3579 Posts |
Posted - May 31 2007 : 03:09:14 AM
|
It sure does, Alee. I saw some honeybees this week here, along with some beautiful big fuzzy bumblebees, and I thought of this discussion. I certainly hope that those caring folks "in the know" are able to make some sense of the disappearing hives... It's really so scary when you think of all of the implications...
XOXO, Libbie
|
|
|
|
Tina Michelle
True Blue Farmgirl
6948 Posts
Tina
sunshine state
FL
USA
6948 Posts |
Posted - May 31 2007 : 06:26:42 AM
|
recently recieved an article posted in the Ocala Newspaper that said bees located in the Wewahitchika area of Florida have not been affected by the CCD due to the bees working basically down in the swamp areas. They are hinting that perhaps our mosquito control systems/chemicals are affecting the bees and that the the mosquito control sprays of course do not reach down to where the Tupelo trees grow and that is why those bees have not been affected.I too certainly hope that a solution is found soon.
I have had only one to two lone big fluffy bees(carpenter/mason bees) floating around my yard, and only saw 1 lone honeybee about 3 weeks ago.:0(
~Seize the Day! Live, Love, Laugh~
visit me at:
http://gardengoose.blogspot.com/
and at www.stliving.net
you can also check out my etsy shops at:http://GardenGooseGifts.etsy.com and
http://photosbytina.etsy.com
|
|
|
|
ArmyWifey
True Blue Farmgirl
712 Posts
Holly
Abilene
KS
712 Posts |
Posted - May 31 2007 : 06:30:43 AM
|
hmmm.........scary. KS is not a red state yet but surely it can't take to long. Interesting to me that AZ isn't even with a lot of Africanized bees floating around.
As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!
|
|
|
|
Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - May 31 2007 : 2:40:03 PM
|
Tina that is so sad! I hope you start seeing more honeybees soon.
I have a question about the Queen Bee population. I have heard that there are not many Queen bees producing right now. Is that in just commericially supplied hives or everywhere?
Alee |
|
|
|
Tina Michelle
True Blue Farmgirl
6948 Posts
Tina
sunshine state
FL
USA
6948 Posts |
|
|
Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - May 31 2007 : 4:08:44 PM
|
Thanks Tina!
Alee |
|
|
|
verbina
True Blue Farmgirl
231 Posts
randi
n.j
USA
231 Posts |
Posted - Jun 01 2007 : 6:03:37 PM
|
| i have those real pretty BIG bees eating my house.i told them to knock it off they laughed.lol so how can i get rid of them? randi |
|
|
|
verbina
True Blue Farmgirl
231 Posts
randi
n.j
USA
231 Posts |
Posted - Jun 01 2007 : 6:07:56 PM
|
| hey tina LOVE your magazine!maby i can find my next farm somewere in your magazine,anyway its great. randi |
|
|
|
Tina Michelle
True Blue Farmgirl
6948 Posts
Tina
sunshine state
FL
USA
6948 Posts |
Posted - Jun 01 2007 : 10:06:01 PM
|
for the mason bees I'd suggest getting a mason bee house
http://www.planetnatural.com/site/orchard-mason-bee-home.html
Often, it is not floral abundance but rather nesting sites that is limiting for our native bees. If you have access to elderberry stems, cut and dry some into 1-2 foot lengths. With a drill, different sized starter holes can be drilled into one end and into the sides of the woody stems. Sharpen one end like a tent stake and push them into the ground around your yard. If your dog doesn't use them as toys, the bees will soon find them and reward you for your bee stewardship efforts.
"Bee houses" are easy and fun to make or can be purchased commercially from several vendors. Making your own can provide you and your children with hours of fun and even more entertainment once they are hung up in your yard to entice new bee pollinating tenants. With a drill bit of various sizes (5/16th of an inch works best for Mason bees including the Blue Orchard Bee) simply take some scrap lumber and drill holes 3 to 5 inches deep but not all the way through the wood block. Nail these up securely in protected places under building eaves in the early spring. Using paper or plastic soda straws, you can bundle these materials and glue them into the bottom of paper milk cartons or coffee cans. Place them in protected shady and dry places in the early spring and the bees will come.
~Seize the Day! Live, Love, Laugh~
visit me at:
http://gardengoose.blogspot.com/
and at www.stliving.net
you can also check out my etsy shops at:http://GardenGooseGifts.etsy.com and
http://photosbytina.etsy.com
|
|
|
|
Tina Michelle
True Blue Farmgirl
6948 Posts
Tina
sunshine state
FL
USA
6948 Posts |
|
|
Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Jul 22 2007 : 4:45:02 PM
|
Thanks for the update!! I was wondering how the bees were doing. It looks like the CCD I getting taken seriously.
Alee
The amazing one handed typist! One hand for typing, one hand to hold Nora! |
|
|
|
Bluewrenn
True Blue Farmgirl
1122 Posts
Erin
Texas
USA
1122 Posts |
Posted - Jul 23 2007 : 06:36:03 AM
|
Our bees are still doing well. One of the hives seems to have lost its queen but since the hives are set next to each other, some of the bees just moved over to the first hive. They are working both hives, just one harder than the other. The first hive has exploded with honey and we'll be harvesting it soon. Also, DH is building some more hives and will take some of the honey and move it to the new hive. We're hoping the one hive (the one that lost its queen) will be hatching a new queen soon.
My Homesteading Journal http://toomyvara.livejournal.com
My craft journal http://bluewrenn.livejournal.com
|
|
|
|
Bee Haven Maven
True Blue Farmgirl
1862 Posts
Beverly
Pennsylvania
USA
1862 Posts |
Posted - Jul 24 2007 : 12:41:01 PM
|
Hi all, just checking in with a bee update here. Our bees are doing great so far this year. Last winter wiped them all out, but we replenished 7 hives and they are going strong. We pulled 80 lbs of honey off in July and plan to harvest again in September, God willing. ( I put honey out for sale on the Marketplace forum if any are interested) I will hold my breath, tho, this winter in hopes that they stay healthy!
Keep Smiling.....Bev
Check out my shoppe at www.honeybeez.etsy.com
www.beehavenacres.blogspot.com , www.beehavenmaven.blogspot.com |
|
|
|
Tina Michelle
True Blue Farmgirl
6948 Posts
Tina
sunshine state
FL
USA
6948 Posts |
|
|
Barnyard Buddies: Honey Bees/important / how you can help/UPDATE#2! |
|
Honey Bees/important / how you can help/UPDATE#2!
