Hi Peter and All
 
As regards your mentioning about the fly catchers getting nailed by
bees, this is very interesting.
 
Last year I mentioned on the list about how our bees here in SA hate
feathered objects, everyone else told me that Eurobees dont mind
them.
 
Another funny thing to watch for is if a dove flies through a swarm
of young orientating bees. I always go down to watch some of my bees
orientating, (you get to know what time they will), and whenever a
dove flies nearby it gets pursued for many many meters by usually
about fifty or so bees.
 
Tell me what happens if you use an ostricth feather as a bee brush??
 
We have birds here called 'Fork Tailed Drongas' , these also occur in
europe and india. There is also a Beecatcher that migrates from
europe to SA every year.
 
Both, when present near the hive have the effect of shutting down
foraging activity, or stopping bees foraging on certain trees. (If
bees are harrassed on  a certain tree, withing half an hour the hives
from which they come will no longer visit that tree)
 
Keep well
 
Garth
 
Garth Cambray           Camdini Apiaries
Grahamstown             Apis mellifera capensis
Eastern Cape Prov.
South Africa
 
Time = Honey
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