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Author Topic: Flooding in Atlanta washes away beehives  (Read 14274 times)

Offline tillie

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Flooding in Atlanta washes away beehives
« on: September 21, 2009, 07:09:40 pm »
I am so sad.  We've had tons of rain in Atlanta - many roads are flooded, creeks are jumping the bank.  The Blue Heron Preserve where I have hives with a friend of mine is located on the banks of Nancy Creek. 

I just drove by and everything is underwater and all seven beehives have washed away.  Poor bees.  I hate it that we didn't realize it would be so bad.  I wish I had known to go rescue them yesterday, although I think I couldn't have gotten into where the hives were even yesterday. 

It is a lake of brown floodwater with a few plants sticking up - all the hives are gone, gone, gone.  The Community Garden has completely washed away.  There wasn't even a dry place to pull off to take a picture.

So sad for those helpless bees.  Probably happened in the wee hours last night.

No question here - just wanted your sympathy.

Linda T very, very sad in Atlanta

Offline Sparky

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Re: Flooding in Atlanta washes away beehives
« Reply #1 on: September 21, 2009, 07:32:11 pm »
Sorry to hear about your losses. It is said that mother natures plans do not always coinside with ours and sometime livestock, pets, homes and such are lost. Thank GOD that it was not you or another person that cannot be replaced.

Offline iddee

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Re: Flooding in Atlanta washes away beehives
« Reply #2 on: September 21, 2009, 07:34:14 pm »
 :'(   :'(    :'(    :'(    :'(
"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

*Shel Silverstein*

Offline HAB

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Re: Flooding in Atlanta washes away beehives
« Reply #3 on: September 21, 2009, 07:55:30 pm »
Such sad news.  I've been following their progress on your site all summer.  Know you were devastated. :'( :'(

Offline fermentedhiker

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Re: Flooding in Atlanta washes away beehives
« Reply #4 on: September 21, 2009, 08:18:59 pm »
 :imsorry:
Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so.
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Offline tshnc01

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Re: Flooding in Atlanta washes away beehives
« Reply #5 on: September 21, 2009, 08:23:02 pm »
Linda,

From reading your blog, I know how thoughtfully you have cared for your bees.  I am so sorry.

...Tim

Offline Shawn

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Re: Flooding in Atlanta washes away beehives
« Reply #6 on: September 21, 2009, 08:33:38 pm »
It seems not to long ago you guys were in the worst drought and now you are flooding. I am sorry to hear about the loss.

Offline hardwood

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Re: Flooding in Atlanta washes away beehives
« Reply #7 on: September 21, 2009, 08:38:31 pm »
 :'(
"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag...We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...And we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."

Theodore Roosevelt 1907

Offline tillie

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Re: Flooding in Atlanta washes away beehives
« Reply #8 on: September 21, 2009, 08:40:02 pm »
The whole thing makes me so sad and you all are so sweet to comment.  I just took my camera and drove down the road going south so that I could sit in the turn lane and take a couple of pictures.  I'm going to post them on my blog later.  It is a pitiful sight - and as I watched a white bench from the community garden floated downstream.

I was talking to Wade, another beekeeper there, and we both said how sad we were for the bees, but also that all of us beekeepers there have ways to make a living other than keeping bees and think of how it is to be a farmer, having a total loss at the hands of the weather.  So we are lucky.  

The bees weren't.  I looked hard at the trees wondering if they absconded but didn't see anything of note.  It's still raining and is supposed to tomorrow as well, but I'll keep checking the area to see if there are any bees clinging to trees.

LT feeling sad and small in a flooded city

Offline Kathyp

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Re: Flooding in Atlanta washes away beehives
« Reply #9 on: September 21, 2009, 08:40:18 pm »
that sucks.  sorry to hear about it.
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline Jack

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Re: Flooding in Atlanta washes away beehives
« Reply #10 on: September 21, 2009, 09:40:13 pm »
What a great loss Tillie. I can only imagine how sad you feel. We must count our blessings and be thankful there are no lost lives. I hope you pick up from where you left off and keep up your good work on the informative web site you have as it has been an inspiration for many of us.

Best wishes,

Jack

Offline Pond Creek Farm

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Re: Flooding in Atlanta washes away beehives
« Reply #11 on: September 21, 2009, 09:56:03 pm »
I know exactly how you feel.  Last year, my first in beekeeping, I lost all but one hive in a flood.  The one remaining was so seriously damaged that it did not survive the winter.  I felt horrible and responsible for things.  Our creek had never gotten that high before, but extraordinary rains produce extraordinary results.  What I thought was a great place, close to water and accessible to me turned out to be not so good.  I learned and moved my replacement hives to much higher ground.
Brian

Offline Schoon

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Re: Flooding in Atlanta washes away beehives
« Reply #12 on: September 21, 2009, 09:58:16 pm »
Linda, sorry to hear about your bees.
Bobby

Offline Robo

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Re: Flooding in Atlanta washes away beehives
« Reply #13 on: September 21, 2009, 10:00:39 pm »
Linda,

Sorry to hear this, I know you cared for them like they where your children.   Although devastating, it will make you stronger and more determined.

Best of Luck,
Rob...
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Offline tillie

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Re: Flooding in Atlanta washes away beehives
« Reply #14 on: September 21, 2009, 10:01:05 pm »
Between yesterday and this morning, we had 12 inches of rain.  Some places in Georgia got 22 inches!  What self-respecting creek could possibly stay in its bank?

After drought for several years, this seems entirely too plentiful.....

LT

Offline Gregg

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Re: Flooding in Atlanta washes away beehives
« Reply #15 on: September 21, 2009, 10:23:36 pm »
Sorry about losing the hives

Offline tillie

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Re: Flooding in Atlanta washes away beehives
« Reply #16 on: September 21, 2009, 10:29:37 pm »
The good news is that my hives on my deck are fine - just really wet.  Every time the rain lets up the bees burst out of the hive for the few minutes they have before it starts again.  I'm grateful I didn't lose them and on my deck with my house located at the top of a hill, I won't.

I dread when the waters recede and Julia and I go looking around the debris for our hive boxes (or what's left of them).  The creek empties into a lake right after it leaves Blue Heron, so they are probably at the bottom of the lake.  I find myself wondering if the waters are strong enough to take away our cinder block stands.

Well, you know I'll let you know what the rest of the story is as it unfolds.  We've talked about looking in the neighboring trees for absconded bees, but I don't think they could have left - if the water came in the entrance and there's no top entrance, they wouldn't have a way to escape their drowning.

Linda T

Offline Jim134

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Re: Flooding in Atlanta washes away beehives
« Reply #17 on: September 21, 2009, 10:35:03 pm »
Glad your are OK :)  Sorry about losing the bees  :'( 


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Offline reinbeau

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Re: Flooding in Atlanta washes away beehives
« Reply #18 on: September 21, 2009, 11:06:11 pm »
I'm so sorry, Linda.  From drought to floods.

Offline Bee-Bop

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Re: Flooding in Atlanta washes away beehives
« Reply #19 on: September 21, 2009, 11:30:50 pm »
Linda;
Sorry for your loss.
I understand that the people working with the swamplands are overjoyed, they have been crying for years for rain.

Bee-Bop
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