Quote: Betty Landercasp

It's great someone is interested in bees, they are surely in decline.
Not really a fan myself.

I saw some TV thing or read some article somewhere (how's that for an authoritative citation?) that stated that life on earth as we know it could not continue longer than a few years without them. Or at least famines would become widespread and long-lasting. Or something like that.

Wow, authoritative, diffinitive, and illustrative. I think I'd forget about being stung without them too. ( sorry, its genetic)

LOL.

It is not just bees which are so critical... all insects are at the bottom of the food chain. If all the creepy crawlies get killed off or die, everything else will follow suit.

I hate the thought that my life is dependant on the cockroach so I'm going to focus on butterflies and lightening bugs.... nice, happy insects.

On Friday, May 13, Paul purchased a new Queen Bee for the split we were going to do with one of the hives we over wintered. I named her Aera after Toni and Caterina's mom, who passed away suddenly 2 years ago on May 13... I thought it was fitting.

So Queen Aera came home Friday afternoon, and spent the entire weekend in the house because Spring refuses to come to WI.. it was below freezing all weekend.

We split Cleopatra's hive and moved them on Monday, and put Queen Aera and her attendants in the hive. The queen is hived in a queen cage and it typically takes the bees a couple of days to eat the candy plug out of the cage and release her. These couple of days is important as if you don't do this, the resident bees will kill the new queen.

The new hive is located about 8 miles away in Paul's sister's apple orchard. Paul checked them tonight and Queen Aera is out of the cage and laying eggs.

I took pictures of the move and hiving Queen Aera, but they are on film so it will take a couple of days to get it developed.

My other new hives have not arrived yet, but I will keep you all posted and put up pics when I have them.

--Kel

I wish you lived closer.

I've never given bees a thought in my life unless I got stung. Now that I've taken up gardening, now I'm worried I'll never see another bee again, and develop a squash deficiency.

I would love to let your bees play in my garden.

I used to be scared of bees. Then last summer I got stung by wasps 3 different times while out walking Kasey. Bees seem like cute friendly little things now! Go Bees!!

Empress Connie!! I love it!!

 Quote: Lori Hall

Bees seem like cute friendly little things now! Go Bees!!

They are funny as heck to watch too Today I sat and watched them for like 30 minutes after work. They are coming in really loaded with pollen and sometimes they misjudge the landing strip for the hive and smack right into the side of the hive then tumble down the wall to the ground. They get up and walk to the door of the hive shaking their wings the whole way. It's crazy to watch! They let out this wierd sounding buzz when they crash too.. it's like they're cussing

Michael, I am sure my bees would LOVE to play in your garden and ensure your squash crop

http://www.thehoneygatherers.com/html/index_en.html is a really cool website with some amazing pics of bees if you want to see some super close up pics



Edited by Kelly (05/18/2011 09:54 PM)
Edit reason: wrong link

Don't worry michael,the bees visit my sguash every summer.

 Quote: Kelly

There's good money in having pollinating hives and travelling with them.

Something I saw recently also drew some conclusions that this was playing into CCD, as well. Basically malnutrition in the colonies. Since bees are being trucked to feed exclusively on this crop or that, rather than many different pollen sources. People will get reeeeeal sentimental about bees when we are starving to death with out any! Talk about your agricultural work, how'd you like to hand pollinate EVERYTHING????

OK, this should be a public link to the FB album I have of my bees. Let me know if it doesn't work.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.210125785695065.52310.100000929359537&l=7dec6181b9

--Kel