odd bee situation - need help please!
PhoenixWench
hung. We have always had a few bees visiting them, and because I
maintain an organic garden, yard and property I get quite a few native bees.
Recently, however, a swarm of honeybees took over one of my larger
feeders - probably because it is very easy for them to reach the nectar
on this one. I didn't begrudge them the use because I know we need all
the bees we can get. They empty this quart sized feeder 4 - 5 times a
day! When it is empty they make sure I know about it - a scout actually
came out to where I was working in the yard and sat on my wrist - when I
gently shooed it off it came right back and just stared at me - that's
when I looked at 'their' feeder and realized it was empty! That was
weird, to say the least!
The buzz is fierce with the whole swarm waiting to be fed, but they seem
to know I'm on their side and though they land on me - even on my face -
I don't feel threatened. Once I have the feeder refilled and hung (a
tricky thing sometimes as I have to work at making sure they are out of
the way before I screw the bottle back into the holder) the buzz mutes
to a contented purr.
My theory is that this is a swarm that may have once belonged to someone
but for some reason went off on their own. We are in bear territory, so
perhaps they lost their home hive and are desperately trying to rebuild
their stocks before winter. They barely look at all the flowers - just
empty the feeder and demand more.
Does this theory make sense? I am open to suggestions and am willing to
continue feeding them, but will this really help them? There is not much
nutritional value in sugar water compared to flower nectar and pollen,
so I worry this shortcut may not be in their best interests.
--
PhoenixWench
Toleration is not the opposite of intolerance but the counterfeit of it.
Both are despotisms: the one assumes to itself the right of withholding
liberty of conscience, the other of granting it.
-- Thomas Paine, The Rights of Man
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Nick Cramer
> Hi - I have a tiny Catskills motel and have a lot of hummingbird feeders
> hung. We have always had a few bees visiting them, and because I
> maintain an organic garden, yard and property I get quite a few native
> bees.
> Does this theory make sense? I am open to suggestions and am willing to
> continue feeding them, but will this really help them? There is not much
> nutritional value in sugar water compared to flower nectar and pollen,
> so I worry this shortcut may not be in their best interests.
Hi PW,
Are there any beekeepers nearby? You might ask at a roadside honey stand.
The bees sound really gentle (must be Italian) and your attitude towards
them is wonderful!
My family raised bees when I was a kid, some 65 years ago. IIRC we put a
sugar water feeder out when the weather finally started to warm up and
removed it when plants started to flower.
Good luck. CU on AC!
--
Nick, KI6VAV. Support severely wounded and disabled Veterans and their
families: https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/
http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/ Thank a Veteran! Support Our Troops!
http://anymarine.com/ You are not forgotten. Thanks ! ! ~Semper Fi~
danfan46
Normally you take away the honey from the hives before winter and feed them sugar instead.
Sugar is better than honey for the bee stomach over winter. Some kinds of honey contain to much
rest products that can force the bees to poo inside the hive ( if winter is cold). Some kinds of
honey can cristallize in the comb, and become inaccessible to the bees.
So feeding the bees sugar is OK.
Keep it up!
/dg
Svend Grønlund
Yes, sugar is fine for winter feed. I don't know how a hummingbird-
feeder is like, and I don't know the local law, but in some countries
including Denmark it is illegal to feed bees outside the hive. This is
because a feeding place will attract bees from many families and there
by spread diseases.
You should find a bee-keeper. He or she can catch the swarm and put it
into a proper hive.
Kind regards
Svend
PhoenixWench
least I am helping and not hurting them. That takes a load off my mind.
I will still seek out local bee keepers assitance to locate their
current home and see if they need additional help, but in the meantime
I'll just keep mixing the nectar ;-)
PhoenixWench
> PhoenixWench<slySP...@hvc.rr.com> wrote:
>> Hi - I have a tiny Catskills motel and have a lot of hummingbird feeders
>> hung. We have always had a few bees visiting them, and because I
>> maintain an organic garden, yard and property I get quite a few native
>> bees.
>> [ . . . ]
>> Does this theory make sense? I am open to suggestions and am willing to
>> continue feeding them, but will this really help them? There is not much
>> nutritional value in sugar water compared to flower nectar and pollen,
>> so I worry this shortcut may not be in their best interests.
>
> Hi PW,
>
> Are there any beekeepers nearby? You might ask at a roadside honey stand.
> The bees sound really gentle (must be Italian) and your attitude towards
> them is wonderful!
>
> My family raised bees when I was a kid, some 65 years ago. IIRC we put a
> sugar water feeder out when the weather finally started to warm up and
> removed it when plants started to flower.
>
> Good luck. CU on AC!
>
My local farm stand may be able to give me some leads. I also thought to
get in touch with the local Cornell Extension for advice.
I am still amazed at my feeling of ease with these bees, as the allergy
to bee venom runs in my family, and until these gals showed up I tended
to extreme caution. I still use caution - making sure not to catch one
between my hand and the feeder frex - but even when when one landed on
my cheek I felt no fear - more like I'd been honored by their trust ;-)
Thanks - see you at AC ;-)
PhoenixWench
white sugar to 4 parts water. My tap water is double filtered, so the
old routine of boiling is not needed - what I do is heat 1 quart of
water and add 1 quart of sugar, stirring until all the sugar dissolves.
Then I turn off the heat and add 3 quarts of cold water - the whole
process takes minutes and by making it a gallon at a time it saves time
in the long run. Normally I keep it in the garage fridge, but since the
bees arrived I barely need to bother to do more than set the jug in the
shade - they go through it so fast!
I will be looking for a proper keeper come Monday - whether they stay
where they are or get moved to a new home I'm just delighted at the
chance to bee part of this ;-)
danfan46
When a bee finds a good source, such as your feeder, she tells her colleagues where to find it
and a lot of them go there, and they in turn tell more bees to come.
Perhaps you are just saving a beekeeper the problem to winter feed his bees, or even sabotage his harvesting -
getting a mix of honey and sugar in the combs. Perhaps it is too early to winter feed the bees where you live?
It will be interesting to hear what the local beekeeper will say. Please keep us informed.
/dg
PhoenixWench
Here in the Catskills of NY the last half of August is still quite warm
during the day - 75 - 90F - but getting much cooler at night - down to
40F sometimes. There are lots of flowers for the bees and hummingbirds
to enjoy, but naturally they are not the same ones that bloomed all
summer, as the Autumn flowers are coming in now. I don't have any idea
when 'winter feeding' should begin, but I guess (I hope!) all this will
be resolved over the next week or so as I make contacts with appropriate
folks. I'll fill you all in as I learn from the local authorities on the
subject, but I greatly appreciate the feedback here. Weekends there is
often no other option but to reach out on the net ;-)