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Author Topic: Facinated with bees in Oklahoma  (Read 2892 times)

Offline Stingray

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Facinated with bees in Oklahoma
« on: October 21, 2007, 02:49:01 pm »
I own five acres in rural Oklahoma and was lucky enough this year to have a feral swarm settle in one of my hollow trees. I spent all spring and summer observing and photographing these bees. The more I watched, the more I wanted to learn. Started buying bee-related books. I think I've read seven or eight now, still buying more. Recently discovered the American Bee Journal, of course I had to subscribe. The decision has been made, I'll be building hives over the winter and installing packages in the spring.

Anyway, I've learned a lot over the last six months, and I look forward to learning a lot more in the next six or so before the bees arrive and my real education begins.

Steve

Offline asprince

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Re: Facinated with bees in Oklahoma
« Reply #1 on: October 21, 2007, 02:53:02 pm »
Great name Steve! Welcome to the forum. How are the bees in the hollow tree doing? Do you plan to remove them?

Steve
Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resembalance to the first. - Ronald Reagan

Offline Stingray

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Re: Facinated with bees in Oklahoma
« Reply #2 on: October 21, 2007, 02:56:24 pm »
The opening into the hollow tree is only about one inch in diameter and it's a good twelve feet off the ground. I'm afraid I see no way of removing the colony, but they are welcome to live there. However, if this colony swarms next year I hope to be able to capture the swarm.

edit: as to how they are doing, they seem healthy. The colony is still very active and I don't have to search very long to find bees foraging on nearby wildflowers. As far as I can tell they're doing well. The picture in my avatar is one of my feral guests.

-S

Offline Doorman

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Re: Facinated with bees in Oklahoma
« Reply #3 on: October 21, 2007, 03:10:33 pm »
Hey Steve.
Where in OK are you? If your anywhere near Tulsa I'd like to invite you to come to the Northeast Oklahoma Beekeepers Assoc. We meet the second Monday of the month @ the OSU extension center on 15th. The December meeting will be on the third Monday due to a scheduling conflict. Also if your interested, our spring beginners class will be coming up in January of February.

Greg
Some call me a bee farmer, I prefer rancher. What
with millions of tiny livestock foraging the open range, spring and fall round ups. Boy howdy branding their little butts sure is tedious.

Offline Stingray

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Re: Facinated with bees in Oklahoma
« Reply #4 on: October 21, 2007, 06:04:41 pm »
Hey Steve.
Where in OK are you? If your anywhere near Tulsa I'd like to invite you to come to the Northeast Oklahoma Beekeepers Assoc. We meet the second Monday of the month @ the OSU extension center on 15th. The December meeting will be on the third Monday due to a scheduling conflict. Also if your interested, our spring beginners class will be coming up in January of February.

Greg

I'm about 25 miles west of Tulsa, I'd definitely be interested in the meetings and the beginners class. Do you have a link for more info? Also if you know any local suppliers of nucs or packages, I'd love to know about them.

-S

Offline JP

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Re: Facinated with bees in Oklahoma
« Reply #5 on: October 24, 2007, 10:59:58 am »
Steve, welcome and may I say, nice avatar! I have a friend that was born in Atoka, know where that is?
My Youtube page is titled JPthebeeman with hundreds of educational & entertaining videos.

My website JPthebeeman.com http://jpthebeeman.com

Offline Cindi

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Re: Facinated with bees in Oklahoma
« Reply #6 on: October 25, 2007, 12:50:47 am »
Steve, you are hooked, you will never get out of the world of bees now.... :) ;) :).  You are going to learn lots and lots from our forum, one of the most wonderful learning tools imaginable.  Welcome.  Have a wonderful and great day.  Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

 

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