Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => DOWN UNDER BEEKEEPING => Topic started by: OzBuzz on February 26, 2011, 07:58:22 pm
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I did an inspection for a removal the other night - believe it or not the hive is in a red gum sleeper retaining wall - i haven't a clue where the main hive is but they're entering through a sleeper - behind the wall is, as far as i know, soil! and it's quite an active hive... anyway, i noticed the hive evicting drones. Is that the signal for the end of the season and that they're preparing for winter? I'll take some photos as i'm doing the removal - i'm going to be interested to see where the main hive is
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Bees kicking drones out is a sign winter is coming. Funny, our bees just started having new drones just in the last two weeks. You're going into winter and we're in early spring here!
Just goes to show how big this world really is. ;)
...JP
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Hi guys, first post, and a little co-incidental that the issue I wanted to post about I find happening in this post!
A month ago, I noticed that my drones were also being evicted like OzBuzz's.
I had sections of capped honey in the supers two weeks ago and this weekend, I open the super to find it all gone. Could it be true the the bees somehow think that we are going into winter during summer?
Granted the temperature and amount of rain has been a bit chaotic this year. I am in south eastern Australia.
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Well sausage, I have the same issue as you. My drones disappeared about a months ago and my hives have very limited Honey in them. The weather is all over the place but most days the temp is around 30 degrees C.
I'm not sure whats going on either, winter is still roughly three months away :?
Cheers
Steve
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Glad to hear it's not just me (and OzBuzz). This is my first year and a bit disappointing, after things started out so well. Looks like it's not me then :)
Our little property is covered in YellowBox and Ironbark, with buds starting out again so perhaps they may start again packing some into the start of autumn that I can take and leave enough for winter.
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Yeah my first year too, maybe the lack of blossoms in general is slowing everything down. I 've been waiting for the so called flow and um nothin. Box trees are buddy up so lets hope we get some GOLD!
Cheers
Steve
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Sounds like you and I are in exactly the same situation. Admittedly, there hasn't been many flowers etc around lately.
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Yeah mate its like you said good to hear it from some one else in the the same area give or take 400 kilometres.
I think one of my problems is that I find it so hard to stop looking at the girls. I am going to leave them alone for the next three weeks(if I can help it)
Cheers
Steve
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Now that I've tied the two events together (drones being driven out / honey eaten) I googled around and found this little gem:
http://books.google.com.au/books?id=ZLLB2fh55aQC&pg=PA15&lpg=PA15&dq=drones+evicted+in+summer&source=bl&ots=USxDidCAs6&sig=6RiuunJeafUktwW5CE-oT-Jb4iM&hl=en&ei=3B1rTdHwKYyGvgPy0dnjAg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CCIQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=drones%20evicted%20in%20summer&f=true (http://books.google.com.au/books?id=ZLLB2fh55aQC&pg=PA15&lpg=PA15&dq=drones+evicted+in+summer&source=bl&ots=USxDidCAs6&sig=6RiuunJeafUktwW5CE-oT-Jb4iM&hl=en&ei=3B1rTdHwKYyGvgPy0dnjAg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CCIQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=drones%20evicted%20in%20summer&f=true)
To paraphrase: When there is very little nectar to be had, drone brood and drone adults are booted out of the front of the hive.
Explains why I thought I had some chalkbrood out the front. Maybe I did, but maybe it was just drone brood larve. Explains the eaten honey, and the general view that there isn't as many flowers as last year, despite the crazy rain.
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I'll bet some settling has taken place behind the wall leaving a cavity of some sort.
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I'll bet some settling has taken place behind the wall leaving a cavity of some sort.
That's what i'm guessing too - i never thought they would build comb etc in close proximity to soil though... will be interesting to see what i come across on Wednesday