>>I've noticed a lot of bumblebees this season, more than I remember in
>>previous years,
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On the Pacific Coast at 49 degrees North Latitude, there appear to be more
bumblebees than I have ever seen before. Until the connection to the
honeybee population crash---I thought little of it. Now, everytime I see
them I wonder what the plants would do without 'em.
 
Today was July fourth and I got called by 911 to collect a small swarm. I
recognise them as some of the New Zealand bees(a sort of glowing orange
tinge)that were brought into the area this April(thats a pretty quick cast
eh?). Anyway, I was glad to get 'em having lost most of my Buckfasts in a
big swarm myself in early May..
 
I waited 'til dusk and ran 'em into an empty western with one full of
foundation on top. I saw what appeared to be one Queen slither in fairly
quickly(it took more than an hour and almost full dark to complete the
hiving)---it was a good exercise as I became confident at spotting the
drones(besides size, black eyes, generally darker coloring and fur<!>, they
seemed stupider<g> often moving against the general flow).
 
Two questions. I placed a couple of 4inch chunks of apistan treated
honeycomb on the topboard(under  the cap). Beneath that is a western(medium
super) with 3 drawn combs and the rest foundation and below that, the empty
western. Was giving them that honey a mistake or OK? The books indicate a
hived swarm should be fed but I think they're assuming an earlier
swarm(we're in the midst of a heavy Himalayan Blackberry honeyflow).
 
I'm pressed for space and so this hive is sharing space on my roof with
another hive of Buckfast. The distance between them is close to thirty feet.
I could make it another 10; is this necessary or are they likely to not
interfere with one another anyway?
 
boulder
Point Roberts, WA.
 
 
 
             A L A N   K E Y E S   F O R   P R E S I D E N T   ' 9 6
 
           "We don't have money problems; we have moral problems.
                    And it's time we stood up and faced that truth."
 
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