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Date: | Wed, 1 Oct 2008 20:41:09 -0500 |
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Hello Jerry & All,
Jerry said:
Yet, one hive filled with bees, the other two
> colonies had only the queen and the youngest bees.
I am glad to see the above. One *hypothesis* I put forth at the Austin ABF
convention as to a *possible explanation* for CCD ( in the first days) was
that the bees became disorinted and returned to the wrong hive.
The above hive would contain all the brood but no adult bees.
> Which colonies lose bees, which pick up bees, has little to do with
> position. Move these hives to another beeyard, the same return pattern
> persists.
I have been watching this phenomono my entire time keeping bees. In
commercial beekeeping you strive to keep the whole yard at exactly the same
strength so when one needs a super all the others do also. The most common
way to accomplish this is to "trash the Yard" . In other words make all
hives even in brood/bees.
Once done for the first week or two the project seems a success and then the
phenomonon Jerry speaks of takes over and bees start moving to other hives
creating imbalance. I have found that keeping young queens helps with the
problem.
Swarming can be the result. At times hobby beeks think the hive gaining all
the bees is because of a prolific queen ( which is a possible hypothesis but
not always the reason for the quick rise in hive numbers)
These hives usually need some extra swarm controls.
> Finally, colonies facing the sun get up and start working 30 minutes to an
> hour earlier than those facing away from the sun.
Some races fly earlier also. The Australian bees I run fly an hour earlier
than my other bees.
All colonies return home
> and suspend work about the same time -
I agree! We have been cleaning up the honey processing area and all the
races in the home yard have been trying to provide help ( rob) . When sunset
comes they all disappear at almost exactly the same time. My Italians
/Australians and Russians are easy for me to tell apart. All up robbing
although they have a full feeder in the hive.
My new area is set up so I can pick up all but one piece of equipment with
my forklift and sit outside. The bees clean up nicely. I then rinse with hot
water/ power wash , wash with clorox water and put away for next season.
For years I fought trying to clean around fixed equipment. I recommend the
method to all.
bob
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