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Author Topic: Bees on cotton  (Read 1813 times)

Offline kenthold

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Bees on cotton
« on: September 23, 2013, 10:40:26 am »
I had a couple of hives on cotton at one of my friends farm soon after it started blooming.  The one hive was doing so good I decided to move my other 3 over there to finish out the season.  My question is, should I pull them off before they defoliate the cotton?  That will happen about October 15 and I was planning on bringing them back home for the winter.  I just don't know if I should wait till they defoliate and the flow tapers off or will it hurt them to take them off of a strong nectar flow like that this late it the year.  Will they have a large population built up and then die off or eat up the stores because of lack of nectar?
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Offline trapperbob

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Re: Bees on cotton
« Reply #1 on: September 23, 2013, 12:54:53 pm »
Definitely take them off before they defoliate the spray they use will hurt them for sure
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Offline iddee

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Re: Bees on cotton
« Reply #2 on: September 23, 2013, 05:44:09 pm »
Take them off in the middle of a warm day, moving house bees only and leaving the foragers.
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Offline kenthold

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Re: Bees on cotton
« Reply #3 on: September 23, 2013, 08:42:35 pm »
Thanks for the input.  Iddee, I hadn't even thought about pulling them out and leaving the field bees.  In a way I hate to leave them all out there but that sounds like a good way to solve the problem. 
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Offline bud1

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Re: Bees on cotton
« Reply #4 on: September 27, 2013, 08:30:22 am »
why wait cotton flow been over.  they will bee picking here 1st of next week
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Offline kenthold

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Re: Bees on cotton
« Reply #5 on: September 27, 2013, 10:42:28 am »
I guess we are a little behind here.  They won't be picking here for a month or so.  One thing I was wondering.  One of the hives is kind of weak, I was wondering if it would help to leave it there a week after I pull the other hives so the field bees from the others would go to that hive and help it out a little.
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Offline nella

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Re: Bees on cotton
« Reply #6 on: September 27, 2013, 12:23:50 pm »
Quote from: kenthold on September 27, 2013, 10:42:28 am
I guess we are a little behind here.  They won't be picking here for a month or so.  One thing I was wondering.  One of the hives is kind of weak, I was wondering if it would help to leave it there a week after I pull the other hives so the field bees from the others would go to that hive and help it out a little.

I have done that before and it helped the weak hive. I have also switched places with a weak and strong hive to help a weak hive.
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