Welcome, Guest

Author Topic: Black bees have moved in on my feeders  (Read 2497 times)

Offline Baxter

  • New Bee
  • *
  • Posts: 3
  • Gender: Male
Black bees have moved in on my feeders
« on: October 07, 2011, 04:58:42 pm »
I live in Trinity, NC. Black bees have started showing up at my feeders, I'm wondering about the likelyhood, these bees may be wild, anyone have an informed opinion on the chance they are wild?.


Baxter
endeavor to persevere

Offline rail

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 243
  • Gender: Male
Re: Black bees have moved in on my feeders
« Reply #1 on: October 07, 2011, 05:02:52 pm »
I live in Trinity also and I have noticed black bees working the buckwheat. Some suggested Carniolan bees?

Sirach

Offline D Coates

  • Queen Bee
  • ****
  • Posts: 1231
  • Gender: Male
Re: Black bees have moved in on my feeders
« Reply #2 on: October 07, 2011, 05:15:58 pm »
At this time of the year my bet is they are robbers.  Robbers can come from domestic or feral sources but they are invariably without the fuzz that young bees have.  Not sure why but this has been my observation.
Ninja, is not in the dictionary.  Well played Ninja's, well played...

Offline nietssemaj

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 237
  • Gender: Male
Re: Black bees have moved in on my feeders
« Reply #3 on: October 07, 2011, 05:37:16 pm »
You sure these aren't just ground bees? They might also be attracted to your feeders if the nectar sources have dried up.

While my hive isn't setup yet.. (come on spring) I am seeing alot of small black bee's in my garden on my beans.

Offline FRAMEshift

  • Super Bee
  • *****
  • Posts: 1681
Re: Black bees have moved in on my feeders
« Reply #4 on: October 07, 2011, 06:39:06 pm »
At this time of the year my bet is they are robbers.  Robbers can come from domestic or feral sources but they are invariably without the fuzz that young bees have.  Not sure why but this has been my observation.

Are you saying that robbers look black because they don't have fuzz?  I have not noticed that.   In this case we are talking about bees that are on feeders  (away from hives?) and buckwheat.  Not necessarily robbers.
"You never can tell with bees."  --  Winnie-the-Pooh

Offline FRAMEshift

  • Super Bee
  • *****
  • Posts: 1681
Re: Black bees have moved in on my feeders
« Reply #5 on: October 07, 2011, 06:43:18 pm »
I live in Trinity, NC. Black bees have started showing up at my feeders, I'm wondering about the likelyhood, these bees may be wild, anyone have an informed opinion on the chance they are wild?.
Baxter

The small black German bees that were brought to the US in the 17th and 18th centuries became feral and are the "naturalized" honey bee for this area.  They are smaller than the standard foundation-raised Carniolans.  Are the  bees you are seeing smaller than your own bees?
"You never can tell with bees."  --  Winnie-the-Pooh

Offline Baxter

  • New Bee
  • *
  • Posts: 3
  • Gender: Male
Re: Black bees have moved in on my feeders
« Reply #6 on: October 07, 2011, 07:17:35 pm »
They look black because, that's the color they are?
Yes, They appear to be slightly smaller, they're in the thick of the mob eating the nectar, they act in the same fashion. They're attractive bees, seem gentle, they light on my hands, just like my bees.
endeavor to persevere

Offline rail

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 243
  • Gender: Male
Re: Black bees have moved in on my feeders
« Reply #7 on: October 07, 2011, 09:41:29 pm »
The ones foraging in the buckwheat were dark brown-purple color (black?) with slender bodies.
Sirach

Offline L Daxon

  • Field Bee
  • ***
  • Posts: 681
  • Gender: Female
Re: Black bees have moved in on my feeders
« Reply #8 on: October 07, 2011, 09:50:36 pm »
German bees would be my first guess.  They have died out a lot of places but there may still be pockets around.

Mason bees are also darkish black.  That would be another option.
linda d

Offline wouldliketobee

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 74
  • Gender: Male
Re: Black bees have moved in on my feeders
« Reply #9 on: October 08, 2011, 08:56:31 am »
I noticed a bunch of them at my feeders yesterday,they are different from my carnies they have alot more black and are smooth. Would be awesome if they were some type of feral bee.

Offline tefer2

  • Super Bee
  • *****
  • Posts: 2318
  • Gender: Male
Re: Black bees have moved in on my feeders
« Reply #10 on: October 08, 2011, 08:43:11 pm »
Look real close at your carniolan hives and see if you see some of those black bee's mixed in.
Most of my stock are carniolans and I think that you may be seeing old hairless carni's, not german blacks

Offline Baxter

  • New Bee
  • *
  • Posts: 3
  • Gender: Male
Re: Black bees have moved in on my feeders
« Reply #11 on: October 09, 2011, 08:19:02 pm »
These bees look more like pictures of "Apis mellifera caucasica" I. I can see now, that I need to get some pictures. I will make some tomorrow and post them
endeavor to persevere

Offline hankdog1

  • Field Bee
  • ***
  • Posts: 849
  • Gender: Male
Re: Black bees have moved in on my feeders
« Reply #12 on: October 09, 2011, 08:27:17 pm »
Could actually be your bees.  I've noticed as my bees raise new queens and they breed with feral drones that I get some black bees mixed in.
Take me to the land of milk and honey!!!

Offline D Coates

  • Queen Bee
  • ****
  • Posts: 1231
  • Gender: Male
Re: Black bees have moved in on my feeders
« Reply #13 on: October 10, 2011, 05:20:05 pm »
At this time of the year my bet is they are robbers.  Robbers can come from domestic or feral sources but they are invariably without the fuzz that young bees have.  Not sure why but this has been my observation.

Are you saying that robbers look black because they don't have fuzz?  I have not noticed that.   In this case we are talking about bees that are on feeders  (away from hives?) and buckwheat.  Not necessarily robbers.

That's my observation.  My bee's are just mutts from cut outs, swarms, and a few queens I buy here and there.  I don't see or get any "black bees" until late September or October.  I'll see them in the respective populations of my hives not fighting.  Invariably when winter hits they are the first to get dumped in the snow.  Spring rolls around and there's not a black bee to be found in any of the hives.
Ninja, is not in the dictionary.  Well played Ninja's, well played...

Offline kingfisherfd2

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 55
  • Gender: Male
Re: Black bees have moved in on my feeders
« Reply #14 on: October 10, 2011, 07:19:01 pm »
I'm in High Point.  I've noticed some that I know aren't coming out of my hive.  Cause they leave the feeder the opposite direction.  I can only track their flight so far.  They look slightly more slender.  I can probably get some photos of them as they are regulars at my jars. 
Something I have seen that has tripped me out a couple times.  One of my feeding jars will get so many bees in it that the bees will be submerged 2" in the syrup, but when the syrup is all gone, so are all the submerged bees.