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Author Topic: I got my stingless bees. Now what do I do?  (Read 30030 times)

Offline Lone

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Re: I got my stingless bees. Now what do I do?
« Reply #40 on: August 05, 2012, 01:23:33 am »
I received the booklets and haven't had a chance to read through them all yet.  I did see it recommends not feeding, but if you do you can use mellifera honey. It doesn't say anything about adding molasses. It had a couple of suggestions on how to feed, but when I checked today the bowl I left was empty with a few extra honey pots on the roof, and no bee carcasses tangled in the cloth, so I think I'll stick with this until things warm up a bit.  The booklets did mention about cold affecting them, and especially the hockingsi can have problems.  It has been a cold winter for this area and sometimes I don't see them out of the hive till 9am or so.  Feeding can encourage pests such as the phorid fly apparently.  I have seen a little fly outside, about the size of a fruit fly, so it could be the one, but I didn't notice any maggots or pests inside.

Anyway, the numbers are good so me and the bees are holding out till Spring arrives.

Lone

Offline Lone

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Re: I got my stingless bees. Now what do I do?
« Reply #41 on: August 08, 2012, 09:17:11 am »
The brood.  I think this confirms I have Trigona hockingsi.



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The pollen



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The honeybags...or lack of them.



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Shane- I met a local native beeman today.  He reckons the hockingsi come from the north areas where the cadagi grows and aren't affected by it...hopefully! 
I noticed on the sugarbag website that there was a stingless bee workshop in Burpengary on the 4th of August..did you manage to get to that?  1000km to travel but those workshops are tempting haha

Lone


Offline ShaneJ

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Re: I got my stingless bees. Now what do I do?
« Reply #42 on: August 08, 2012, 09:58:55 am »
I didn't even know about the workshop :? so no I didn't make it :(

Wish they had a mailing list to get notified.  :-\
Shane

Offline squidink

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Re: I got my stingless bees. Now what do I do?
« Reply #43 on: August 08, 2012, 06:11:53 pm »
The hive and inhabintants look great Lone!

Offline Lone

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Re: I got my stingless bees. Now what do I do?
« Reply #44 on: August 09, 2012, 01:21:58 am »
I hope so, Ben.  I might have to give them another year or so to build up before I think about splitting.

Shane, I only just saw it or I would have let you know before it was on, not after.   :-P  There are plenty coming up round brissy way.  You might have to check there every so often.  http://www.sugarbag.net/learn-more/  I just joined on the yahoo email group it lists on that page.

Lone

Offline Jim134

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Re: I got my stingless bees. Now what do I do?
« Reply #45 on: August 26, 2012, 07:04:43 am »
Please keep us informed of all you learn...I'm fascinated! Are they susceptible to mites/SHB?

Scott 
Keeping out SHB

http://www.aussiebee.com.au/video-wade-1.html



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Offline Lone

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Re: I got my stingless bees. Now what do I do?
« Reply #46 on: August 26, 2012, 08:16:02 am »
Thanks Jim.  I see you make mesh with a 3/32 drill.  I hope it works for hockingsi too as they are very slightly bigger.  It will be handy to know if I am able to split my hive.

Lone

Offline ozebee

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Re: I got my stingless bees. Now what do I do?
« Reply #47 on: December 14, 2012, 05:34:26 am »
I envy you guys up in Qld!!!  I have had a stingless colony in my wall cavity in Sydney for some 4 years when they managed to find a tiny hole in the wall where I had to remove normal honey bees a couple of years before. I have been trying to split them by redirecting their entrance through an empty hive as recommended in the literature for some 18 months now but no joy. They are not building anything in the new box just plugging it up with lovely smelling red resin (which I imagine is their version of propolis). I suspect that it is probably the climate which is not helping in their expansion. I would be grateful for any suggestions how I can entice them to build a second colony in the new box.

Offline chriso38

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Re: I got my stingless bees. Now what do I do?
« Reply #48 on: December 15, 2012, 01:27:22 am »
Hi, i live in Central QLD, got my natives from a hollow log, had them for 8+ months with no hive beetle. Hive beetle is not attracted to the smell of the native hives ( unless u add stuff like pollen patties) or European bee honey. I have European hives as well in the same yard, Beetle is a issue at times for the European bees, but i have not seen yet a beetle in the native box.... Cut it from the log with honey flying everywhere, placed everything in the box etc.. But no beetle.. Go figure..? 

Offline Lone

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Re: I got my stingless bees. Now what do I do?
« Reply #49 on: December 16, 2012, 06:11:40 am »
Quote
I envy you guys up in Qld!!!  I have had a stingless colony in my wall cavity in Sydney for some 4 years when they managed to find a tiny hole in the wall where I had to remove normal honey bees a couple of years before. I have been trying to split them by redirecting their entrance through an empty hive as recommended in the literature for some 18 months now but no joy. They are not building anything in the new box just plugging it up with lovely smelling red resin (which I imagine is their version of propolis). I suspect that it is probably the climate which is not helping in their expansion. I would be grateful for any suggestions how I can entice them to build a second colony in the new box.

Oz,

My hive will have to wait a long time before it is ready to split.  I occasionally turn the divider upside down so there will be brood in 2 boxes, but this hasn't yet encouraged the queen to lay in both.  And they completely sealed up the top honey box.  They have been putting honey down the bottom with the pollen.  They have been wild the last couple of days with a single white barked gum tree out on the scalded flat.  I don't know what species of gum it is.

So even though they are building up slowly, I certainly don't know anything fancy like how to split hives.  Try joining the email group listed halfway down this page. http://www.sugarbag.net/learn-more/  You will probably get dozens of answers to your query as well as finding out things you didn't even know you wanted to know.

Chriso, I've heard stingless bees can succumb to SHB, but like with european bees, a weak colony is more susceptible.  I've not seen a beetle in my hive either.

Lone





Offline rawfind

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Re: I got my stingless bees. Now what do I do?
« Reply #50 on: December 22, 2012, 10:28:54 pm »
Those sting less bees,
                              what do they look like? today i9 observed a heap of little miniature bees black in color and a about half the size of a normal bee. The looked like bees just smaller, are these possibly sting less bees?

Offline Lone

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Re: I got my stingless bees. Now what do I do?
« Reply #51 on: December 30, 2012, 06:41:26 am »
Quote
Those sting less bees,
                              what do they look like? today i9 observed a heap of little miniature bees black in color and a about half the size of a normal bee. The looked like bees just smaller, are these possibly sting less bees?

I know my pictures aren't real clear.  Have a look here http://www.aussiebee.com.au/trigona_carbonaria.html

By the way, there's a real pretty "new" bee on that website, with a yellow stripe. http://www.aussiebee.com.au/stingless-bees-cincta.html

It would be unusual to find stingless bees in Victoria.  You really need to observe those bees again with a camera and show us!
I'm in Vic at the moment, but I only have to suffer a couple more days.  I'm sorry I couldn't visit you Geoff.  I've been flat out every day.

Lone

Offline Vance G

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Re: I got my stingless bees. Now what do I do?
« Reply #52 on: December 30, 2012, 04:33:40 pm »
Where are the bees?  I like all the American folks here are very interested.  Please feel free to fascinate us!  Vance

Offline Geoff

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Re: I got my stingless bees. Now what do I do?
« Reply #53 on: December 31, 2012, 09:48:15 pm »
What day do you leave for home Lone? Would have come to Melbourne if I had known you were down this way. Marg said you can stay longer as she would lend you some winter gear. Will post a PM.
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Offline Lone

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Re: I got my stingless bees. Now what do I do?
« Reply #54 on: January 17, 2013, 09:55:54 am »
Sorry Geoff, I already had to borrow a car to get to Bendigo and Whittlesea, and then ran right out of time.  Then of course there was a day dedicated to lining in a queue with half of Melbourne to see a flower.  If you fancy a QLD holiday though, we now have air con in the other house because my parents refused to come here without it.

Vance, stingless bees in Australia are in the northern warmer areas.

Mini update.  Top box sealed off except for a tiny hole that fits one bee through, and nothing in top bar some guards perhaps making sure all is well. Second from top..actually and finally has some honey!  I got to taste it even and it is lovely; different to what I tasted in Cardwell. It is not full, but more sugar bags than I've seen before.  Third box down full of brood and bottom box has brood also with pollen stores and maybe honey around the edge!  So finally after attempting my own manipulations they have decided to do things their own way and are finally building up strength. The hive is only a year old.

Lone

Offline Geoff

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Re: I got my stingless bees. Now what do I do?
« Reply #55 on: January 17, 2013, 04:10:27 pm »
   You've slipped up badly Lone. There was a driver and car available to get to Whittlesea and Bendigo and the driver only needs half an excuse to go to Bendigo. The lemon scented pink flowering gum was in full bloom just buzzing (you could hear the buzz from inside the house) and you could have identified the stingless ones for me which were feeding on the astromelias.

  Dont forget the Fiddlehead Festival at Yinnar (Feb 16th.) Free pick-up at Tullamarine and bed and breaky at Yinnar ( for beekeepers only).

        http://www.latrobe.vic.gov.au/Whats_On/Events/Events_Calendar/Events_Calendar/Fiddlehead_Festival
« Last Edit: January 17, 2013, 04:32:39 pm by Geoff »
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Offline ozebee

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Re: I got my stingless bees. Now what do I do?
« Reply #56 on: January 17, 2013, 09:56:34 pm »
Some pics of my stingless bees swarming may be of interest - they seem to do it for hours at a time very close to the hive
and then go back in. Sometimes there is evidence of fighting with many dead bees. I still have not managed to get them to build a second colony in the box I provided them - I think they are too happy in the wall cavity with all the honey store in there from a previous honey bee swarm that was there!





Offline Lone

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Re: I got my stingless bees. Now what do I do?
« Reply #57 on: January 19, 2013, 03:54:09 am »
That's a lot of bees!

Great pictures thanks Ozebee

Lone

 

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