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Author Topic: Wierd Bees  (Read 2404 times)

Offline Jerrymac

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Wierd Bees
« on: August 16, 2005, 09:24:40 pm »
OK!!! I've decided I must have some strange bees.

Everyones talks about how their bees really suck down sugar water or honey and water. Mine barely touch the stuff.
Others claim their bees really build out frames full of comb. Mine don't build comb unless they need it.
I have heard mention of feeding frinzies if combs of honey are set out to be robbed out.  OR... that is causes robbing if placed too close to the hive. I have pure honey setting out by the hives and the bees hardly even look at it. I removed some badly drawn comb from a hive and placed it on the ground right in front of the hives. Not many bees messed with it, but it is slowly getting cleaned out.

I have to figure there must be a really fantastic flow on...... OH WAIT.... this has gone on since I first got the first bees out of the barn wall back in February.

So are my bees different or something?
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manowar422

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Wierd Bees
« Reply #1 on: August 16, 2005, 09:46:34 pm »
Jerry,

I've read in more than a few books, that bees prefer natural nectar
to ANY thing else. I'm just guessing here but given your location, I
think your bees don't need to rob or take syrup cause they have
a much prefered source or sources within foraging distance.

I seem to recall you posting about your bees bringing in lots of
pollen, if that's so, would they not be getting nectar as well? Maybe
your bees ignore honey in frames and offered sugar water cause
they have something better goin' on :wink:

I was watching my hive for a while today and about every fourth or
fifth bee coming in had huge baskets of bright yellow pollen,
they were bringing in some orange colored too, just not as much.
I'm assuming the other girls coming back were bringing in nectar...

Offline Rich V

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« Reply #2 on: August 17, 2005, 11:41:37 pm »
I'll bet if you put the honey inside the hive they'll suck it down then.

Offline Michael Bush

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« Reply #3 on: August 19, 2005, 12:25:41 pm »
I've never seen any bees draw comb unless they need it.  As long as there is somewhere to store the nectar they won't build more.

Some bees will suck down syrup all the time.  Most will find nectar and use that instead.

Some will rob (especially Italian bees) and go into a frenzy, but this happens most often when there is a dearth and seldom if there is not.
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Offline leominsterbeeman

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« Reply #4 on: August 19, 2005, 09:53:17 pm »
Jerry -  Maybe your bees are diabetic and have to monitor their sugar intake.


Or they could be allergic to honey.
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