Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: Jwhatman on January 16, 2013, 07:29:41 pm

Title: bees flying at night
Post by: Jwhatman on January 16, 2013, 07:29:41 pm
I haven't gotten my hive set up or my bees yet, so I'm guessing they are feral bees.  For the past few night I have found bees on my open patio after dark.  They are either flying into the light or just flying around.  Is this normal?  We have had a week of nice weather.  Days in the high 70's and nights in the 60's.  I can't tell what type of bee it is, but I don't see any pollen sacks, even though something is blooming.  I'm just curious.

Joyce
Title: Re: bees flying at night
Post by: AllenF on January 16, 2013, 09:03:54 pm
Honey bees don't fly in the dark, but they will fly to a light.  Floodlight, flashlight, truck head lights, all will attract the bees if you are working with them. 
Title: Re: bees flying at night
Post by: VolunteerK9 on January 16, 2013, 09:23:36 pm
And they crawl up if you happen to bee working them in the dark. So make sure you're ankles are wrapped up. (Late night storm that knocked some hives over is how I figured out that piece of trivia)
Title: Re: bees flying at night
Post by: BlueBee on January 16, 2013, 09:27:52 pm
Yep, the guys are right.  The bees will crawl and a few will fly toward a light source at night.  It’s a one way trip.  Be careful poking around a hive with a white flashlight.  Use red light instead. 
Title: Re: bees flying at night
Post by: Jwhatman on January 16, 2013, 09:35:13 pm
My husband and I have been just sitting on our patio, enjoying the beautiful weather when the bees have been showing up.  I realize they are attracted to light since they keep buzzing around it.  I have found several dead on my patio.  I just wonder if I have a feral hive somewhere, or someone else's bees are taking a late night jaunt.  Just curious since everything I have read indicates that bees do not fly at night unless messed around with.
Title: Re: bees flying at night
Post by: BlueBee on January 16, 2013, 09:38:49 pm
My guess is you have a feral hive very close by.  I only see my bees flying toward a light if the light is within 10 to 20 feet of the hive.  Further than that, and I figure they think it's a star or the moon and ignore it.  Get out your books on bee lining  ;)
Title: Re: bees flying at night
Post by: hardwood on January 16, 2013, 10:11:34 pm
If you can capture a few of them at night you can bee line with them the next day (when it's light out).

Beelining.wmv (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dri-7D1bsrs#ws)

Scott
Title: Re: bees flying at night
Post by: tefer2 on January 16, 2013, 10:20:49 pm
Those bees may live in your house or an out building. :shock: Have a look around in the Daytime.
Title: Re: bees flying at night
Post by: 10framer on January 17, 2013, 12:29:49 am
Those bees may live in your house or an out building. :shock: Have a look around in the Daytime.

that was my first thought.  check your overhangs the next warm sunny day you have.  
someone mentioned that the light source has to be close and i agree with that too.  a lot of removals i've done that's exactly how the homeowner figured out there were bees in their house.















Title: Re: bees flying at night
Post by: JackM on January 17, 2013, 08:50:02 am
You may also want to check to see if these fit in the Zombee category.  They may have that parasite that is being researched.  https://www.zombeewatch.org/ (https://www.zombeewatch.org/)
Title: Re: bees flying at night
Post by: Jwhatman on January 17, 2013, 11:46:01 am
First I have heard of bee lining,so I had to do a little research.  I learn something new about these amazing insects daily.  I am very intrigued about bee lining.  I have checked around my property and nothing obvious in my yard, but maybe a neighbors.  I have several houses around me that are vacant,one owner has been away staying with family,she's 94 years old.  The other 2 neighbors only use their house a few times a year.  I'll have a look around their properties to see if there is any hives.  Today is supposed to be warm, then a cold front blows in. 
Title: Re: bees flying at night
Post by: lazy shooter on January 17, 2013, 12:22:58 pm
I have read that the early settlers would see bees at a watering place and watch them fly away.  Then walk to the spot where they lost sight of the bee and look for another bee following the same flight path.  By doing this long enough, they sometimes found the bee hive.  These accounts of bee lining were in novels, so the fiction element is always in the back of one's mind. 

Both of my apiaries are within one  hundred yards of a stock pond, and I can watch the bees leave the watering hole.  They fly a strait line toward the apiaries.  They are efficient creatures and don't waste any energy.  As a sidebar, the bees don't go the water, they suck moisture out of the wet mud a foot or so from the water's edge.
Title: Re: bees flying at night
Post by: Finski on January 17, 2013, 12:27:09 pm
I have read that the early settlers would see bees at a watering place and watch them fly away. 

If you mean in America, honeybees were not in America before settlers.

.
Title: Re: bees flying at night
Post by: 10framer on January 17, 2013, 12:33:26 pm
I have read that the early settlers would see bees at a watering place and watch them fly away. 

If you mean in America, honeybees were not in America before settlers.

.
it took hundreds of years to span the continent.  i expect the bees moved faster than the europeans.
Title: Re: bees flying at night
Post by: 10framer on January 17, 2013, 12:40:01 pm
I have read that the early settlers would see bees at a watering place and watch them fly away.  Then walk to the spot where they lost sight of the bee and look for another bee following the same flight path.  By doing this long enough, they sometimes found the bee hive.  These accounts of bee lining were in novels, so the fiction element is always in the back of one's mind. 

Both of my apiaries are within one  hundred yards of a stock pond, and I can watch the bees leave the watering hole.  They fly a strait line toward the apiaries.  They are efficient creatures and don't waste any energy.  As a sidebar, the bees don't go the water, they suck moisture out of the wet mud a foot or so from the water's edge.

there was a series of books written in the 60's or 70's called the "foxfire books".  they were written to keep the history of the people of the appalachian mountains way of life.
one of the books has a chapter on beekeeping and discusses beelining.  reading these books when i was maybe ten years old is how i ended up keeping bees, making my own gun powder and building a still when i was a kid.
i know this is a little off topic but i don't think beelining is fictional.  if you get a chance to read that series of books you should.
Title: Re: bees flying at night
Post by: edward on January 17, 2013, 08:41:47 pm
Didn't the Indians call the bees white mans flies?

mvh edward  :-P
Title: Re: bees flying at night
Post by: AllenF on January 17, 2013, 10:28:36 pm
Bee keeping is in the second Foxfire volume.  Cool pics (from what I remember) of old bee gums.   
Title: Re: bees flying at night
Post by: Bees In Miami on January 18, 2013, 02:34:58 am
Jwhatman:  Where are you located?  You can update your profile so you don't show as Hopelessly Lost.  If you are planning on getting started with bees anyways, you will learn a ton from these very knowledgeable folks!!  Welcome, and hope to see you often! 

I agree with the others, you have a hive close by.  Probably closer than you think.   I lose a bee or two every evening, my guess is they are late foragers that get disoriented returning home and fly to the light.  I never seem to see bees late, but typically just after sunset, or an hour or so later.  We keep our lights dimmed until we're pretty sure the bees are settled for the night, but still lose one or two a night.   (Our closest hives are about 25 yards from the light sources)

I find the busiest time around the colonies is an hour or two before sunset when the foragers are returning.  I suggest taking your exploration walk then, and they should lead you right to the entrance.  Don't discount looking down, too, as at least down here, they are famous for setting up under workshops and sheds.  You may get lucky and not need to buy a package or Nuc this year!   X:X
Title: Re: bees flying at night
Post by: Finski on January 18, 2013, 06:40:43 am
.
Bee expanding history of USA

http://www.orsba.org/htdocs/download/Honey%20Bees%20Across%20America.html (http://www.orsba.org/htdocs/download/Honey%20Bees%20Across%20America.html)

The creation of the United States can be found in the footsteps of the honey bee (Apis mellifera L.).
 Brought to the east coast of North America in 1622 it would be 231 years before the honey bee reached the west coast. Disease, hostile competitors, harsh climates, and geographical barriers blocked the advance of honey bee and human alike.

"Although some claim that Tabitha ‘Grandma’ Brown, who owned and ran a school and orphanage in Forest Grove, Oregon, had a honey bee tree at the school in 1849 (Williams 1975:34) the first evidence I could find of honey bees in Oregon was the August 1, 1854 Oregon Statesman, which included a story about John Davenport of Marion county who brought home a hive of honey bees from back east. These were considered the first in the area. Unfortunately, it was later reported that this first hive of honey bees did not do well (Williams 1975:34).

 

Honey bees came to California almost simultaneously with the Oregon honey bees. There is just no support for the story that the honey bees brought to Sitka, Alaska in 1809 by Russian missionaries and traders were carried down to Fort Ross, California in 1812 (Essig 1931:265-266; Free 1982:117). Much more likely is the story told in an 1860 letter from F. G. Appleton, a San Jose apiarist, that says the first honey bees in California arrived in March 1853. There were 12 swarms purchased in Panama, which were carried across the “Isthmus and thence by water to San Francisco” (Essig 1931:268). Only one hive survived the trip and that hive was taken to San José where it produced three successful swarms that first year.
"
Title: Re: bees flying at night
Post by: Jim134 on January 18, 2013, 11:01:27 am

If you mean in America, honeybees were not in America before settlers.

 From what I have read their was no honey bees in North or South America before the from Europeon came to the Americas



         BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)
Title: Re: bees flying at night
Post by: Finski on January 18, 2013, 11:28:41 am


 From what I have read their was no honey bees in North or South America before the from Europeon came to the Americas


It is interesting that European honeybee was not able to spread by itself across Siberia to Korea, China and to Himalaya and so on.
Africa has many races of mellifera..

Original home is in Africa.

(http://scienceblogs.com/myrmecos/wp-content/blogs.dir/449/files/2012/04/i-82fae54cb7b0484ea09587e89c850cbe-Honey_Bee_Native_Range.jpg)
Title: Re: bees flying at night
Post by: BlueBee on January 18, 2013, 12:09:20 pm
So when did the European Honeybee arrive in Finland?
Title: Re: bees flying at night
Post by: Finski on January 18, 2013, 01:40:40 pm
So when did the European Honeybee arrive in Finland?

There were some earlier trials but hives died.

1805 Finland had over 100 hives.

1815 first beekeeping book was published

1866 first Italian bees came to Finland from Germany.

Early knowledge of beekeeping came from Germany.

.
Title: Re: bees flying at night
Post by: edward on January 18, 2013, 01:51:32 pm
Are you sure?

We have a law in Sweden from 1734 that is still in play that regulates who owns the rights to wild bees in the forest and who owns a bee swarm.

If they had laws i Sweden from that year surely there were bees i Finland beefore the 1800?

And when did we give Finland back to the Fins?  ;)

mvh edward  :-P
Title: Re: bees flying at night
Post by: Finski on January 18, 2013, 02:12:17 pm
.
Difficult to say when it really started


First hive were brought from Estonia 1750 th. They died.
Second atempt was 1760 from Estonia

Karl Niklas Hellenius brought from Sweden  1777 one hive in starw hive.

A National Economy Society started to bring hives from Sweden 1800 th
http://www.amk.fi/opintojaksot/500/1162824838111/5kcdDP96T/5kcdrlEOz/5kcdfYJOT.html (http://www.amk.fi/opintojaksot/500/1162824838111/5kcdDP96T/5kcdrlEOz/5kcdfYJOT.html)

In these days we were part of Russia


Estonian Tallinna was important Hansa City and it has important role in developing. Merchant German was usual language in cost towns.
Title: Re: bees flying at night
Post by: Finski on January 18, 2013, 02:16:43 pm
,
When my brother started keep bees in Piteå  1972, beekeeping in Sweden was not very advanced. That view I got from him.

One guy near me brought much methods from USA and Canada 50-60  years ago.
Another beekeeper spoke Russia and he brought knowledge from Soviet area and from Poland.
His Italian bees were very high productive.

Paradise Honey company has got much system influences from NZ.

.
Title: Re: bees flying at night
Post by: Finski on January 18, 2013, 02:30:43 pm
.
Svensk biodling åren 1750-1800

Bertil Wahlin



ISBN13: 978-91-631-1984-2 / 210x297 mm / År: 2001 / 59 sidor
 http://booksondemand.e-butik.se/kultur-kulturhistoria/svensk-biodling-aren-1750-1800 (http://booksondemand.e-butik.se/kultur-kulturhistoria/svensk-biodling-aren-1750-1800)

ISBN10: 91-631-1984-6
 
En handskrift från 1700-talet påträffades. Den handlade om biodling, och en studiegrupp inom Östgöta Genealogiska Förening tog itu med tydandet av texten. Vissa ledtrådar gav antydan om var författaren kunde sökas, och efterforskning gav resultat. Det visade sig vara prästen Andreas Runberg, och hans tragiska levnadsöde följdes upp.
 
I handskriften hade Runberg berättat om egna erfarenheter från biodlingen, och i sina kommentarer hade han i stor utsträckning utgått från Samuel Linnaeus bok "Kort men Tillförlitelig Bij-Skjötsel". Här i denna bok återges Runbergs text i sin helhet jämte hans levnadshistoria.
 
Bertil Wahlin följde gruppens arbete och har kompletterat materialet med uppsatsen "Svensk biodling åren 1750-1800". Det är en historisk berättelse om biodlingens betydelse för landet, och hur man på olika sätt uppmuntrade och försökte vidga intresset för näringen.
Title: Re: bees flying at night
Post by: edward on January 18, 2013, 02:34:41 pm
I suppose "beekeeping" could bee a late occurrence but surely the bee must have come to Finland when the last ice age receded and they followed in the shadow of the melting ice and warmer climate.?

As to the advancement of Swedish bee keeping, I think they over shot the target many many years ago and there is still a mess to day with too many hive sizes to choose from  :-x

mvh edward  :-P
Title: Re: bees flying at night
Post by: Finski on January 18, 2013, 03:04:22 pm
I suppose "beekeeping" could bee a late occurrence but surely the bee must have come to Finland when the last ice age receded and they followed in the shadow of the melting ice and warmer climate.?



Good heavens!

We have  not had feral honeybees.


Melting ice........it is tundra.........
Most of Finland was under sea level.

(http://www.finnica.fi/artikkel/saarij.gif)
Title: Re: bees flying at night
Post by: 10framer on January 18, 2013, 10:42:20 pm
all the historical stuff is interesting but probably should have it's own thread.
Title: Re: bees flying at night
Post by: tjc1 on January 18, 2013, 11:49:45 pm
I suppose "beekeeping" could bee a late occurrence but surely the bee must have come to Finland when the last ice age receded and they followed in the shadow of the melting ice and warmer climate.?



Good heavens!

We have  not had feral honeybees.


Melting ice........it is tundra.........
Most of Finland was under sea level.

(http://www.finnica.fi/artikkel/saarij.gif)

The Kalevala, Finland's epic mythic story mentions honeybees and honey several times - I think it is assumed to be from medieval times.
Title: Re: bees flying at night
Post by: Jwhatman on January 19, 2013, 12:09:19 am
Next time it warms up I'll take another look around.  We had a cold from that came in yesterday and it's really windy and cold..  I don't want to go out, so I assume neither do the bees.  Going out at dusk is a great idea.  These bees that I found on my patio were out way past dusk, about 9pm or later. 
Title: Re: bees flying at night
Post by: Finski on January 19, 2013, 03:29:40 am


The Kalevala, Finland's epic mythic story mentions honeybees and honey several times -.

I suppose that it means bumblebee and bumblebee nest honey.

.
Title: Re: bees flying at night
Post by: BlueBee on January 19, 2013, 04:10:52 am
So bumble bees can survive in Finland?  Do you have many different varieties?

I raised a colony of bumble bees this summer.  I didn't notice them ever flying towards lights at night, but then again there was just about 100 bumble bees in the hive.  Nothing like the numbers in a honeybee hive.
Title: Re: bees flying at night
Post by: Finski on January 19, 2013, 05:41:38 am
 Do you have many different varieties?



Over 20 species

.
Title: Re: bees flying at night
Post by: BlueBee on January 19, 2013, 06:12:33 pm
Finski, have you ever raised Bumble Bees?