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Date: | Fri, 12 May 1995 13:23:00 -0700 |
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There are professional ways to rear bumblebee colonies, but I tried a
very simple method in a situation such as you describe, and it worked
fine. A friend had a bumble bee nest in the rocks where his 2 and 4 year
old had their sandbox, so the decision to moved the nest was made.
I had a clear plastic package from the supermarket bakery: like a clam
shell, about 6 x 4 x 4 inches. I stapled one side of the package in a
sheltered spot just ouside a window, where we could watch. I stapled a
piece of cloth, draping over the clear plastic for shade and insulation.
I put a 3/4 inch hole in the box for an entrance.
I used another plastic container to carry the nest. I had my bee veil
and some rubber gloves. I moved some rocks and found the nest in an old
mouse nest. I picked it up and put it in the container, with the large
queen and about 20 smaller bumblebees, and covered it with a cloth, then
I waited for 20 or so other bees to return to the nest spot, where I
picked them one at a time and popped them into another container.
I took the whole works home, put them in the clear box on the post, and
released the bees. Within a couple of hours they were foraging as if
they had been there all along.
When the kids wanted to see them, I'd lift up the cloth and we would
watch them a while. In a few days they had built a cover over the
cluster of cells, and we couldn't see much except the foragers.
The colony did alright for maybe 6 weeks, until September. Then the
activity decreased and when I last looked there were quite a few mites
running around in the nest material, but no bees.
It was nice while it lasted.
Kerry Clark, Apiculture Specialist
B.C. Ministry of Agriculture
1201 103 Ave
Dawson Creek B.C.
V1G 4J2 CANADA Tel (604) 784-2225 fax (604) 784-2299
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