Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: TAH on July 13, 2005, 08:26:36 pm

Title: Wild Bees?
Post by: TAH on July 13, 2005, 08:26:36 pm
I have been seeing a lot of bees fighting around my hive just about every time I go by there is one or two fights going on. The other bees are a little smaller and brighter yellow than my bees. I am guessing that these are wild bees and that they are not to far away. Is there a way to track these back to the hive?
Title: Wild Bees?
Post by: thegolfpsycho on July 13, 2005, 10:39:16 pm
You can try beelining them.  Make a small amount of syrup, add scent to it with something like anise, and get a little powder handy.  Put this in a matchbox, or some other small container (there are many manufactured beeline boxes.  Set this out for the bees to find.  Check the box, sprinkle the bees in it with powder, close them in and walk about 50 to 1oo yards.  Let a couple bees go and see where they head to.  Move along another distance and let a couple more go... track their direction.  Move another like distance, set the box up to trap some more bees, and start the process over.   There are many variations, timing a marked bees go and return time, triangulating, etc, etc.  Should lead you in the right direction to find them.
Title: Wild Bees?
Post by: Michael Bush on July 13, 2005, 11:57:29 pm
Use a piece of down (small fluffy feather) and super glue it to a bee and they are MUCH easier to follow.  :)  If you want to feel better about it use some pine sap.  That way her friends can clean it off when she gets back.
Title: Wild Bees?
Post by: TREBOR on July 14, 2005, 11:51:12 am
HI,
   I was reading a foxfire book about old school beekeeping
and how to find ferrel bees, they said they used christmas tree tinsle
 about six inches stuck to the bees butt.
    though the feather may be easyer to see!!!!
     At any rate have fun walkin through the woods lookin for bees
Title: Wild Bees?
Post by: Michael Bush on July 14, 2005, 01:07:54 pm
The down is an old Native American trick.  The tinsel might be easier to find for some people.  :)
Title: Wild Bees?
Post by: Jay on July 14, 2005, 07:02:07 pm
How do you get all those bees to sit still on your Christmas tree thouhg!?!
Title: Wild Bees?
Post by: AdmiralD on July 14, 2005, 07:23:52 pm
Quote from: Jay
How do you get all those bees to sit still on your Christmas tree thouhg!?!


You hold a Christmas party for them!!!!! :wink:  :lol:
Title: Wild Bees?
Post by: JP on July 14, 2005, 10:24:10 pm
...Oh Christmas bee, Oh Christmas bee...

Sorry, I couldn't help it.
JP
Title: Wild Bees?
Post by: TREBOR on July 15, 2005, 09:14:54 pm
noooooo! you tie a christmas tree to there butt
 so you can see were they fly to, silly :lol: