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Subject:
From:
Victor E Sten <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Discussion of Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Fri, 2 May 1997 09:03:39 -0400
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>Dick Bonney writes:
>Has anyone had any experience with honey bees harrassing birds in and around
>bird nesting boxes?
>
> Unfortunately, the person reporting this to me is neither a beekeeper or an
>ornithologist.
>
>I hope to get to the bogs this year while the pollinators are in and see for
>myself.
>*****************
>       As a beekeeper/birdwatcher, I have not seen any evidence of this
>behavior.
>
>       Many of us are probably thinking of alternative explanations for the
>observations that were reported to Dick Bonney, but I hope someone can check
>this out.
>Tim
>Tim Sterrett
>Westtown, (Southeastern) Pennsylvania, USA
>[log in to unmask]
>
 
Hi
 
For some years up till about 4 years ago I had 4 hives on the back porch
of my cottage, the porch was 7 feet above ground level. A bird house
with tree swallows was situated about 50 feet from the nearest hive and
something like 5 feet higher.
 
On several occations, when the swallows were making passes a few feet in
front of the hives and at about the same height as the hives, did I see
the guard bees, always more than one but no more than 4-5, chase the
swallows at a speed quite a bit faster than regular flight speed. It was
possible to see se the swallows zig-zag a bit with the bees following
the course changes. As far as I could determine the bees aborted the
chase after 50-75 feet.
 
Shortly after a chase the swallows could come to the birdhouse without
beeing attacked probably because the birdhouse was behind and to one
side of the hives unseen by guards and the foraging bees took no interest.
 
Viktor in Hawkesbury, Ontario.

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